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CHAUCER'S 

PROLOGUE AND KNIGHTES TALE 



ENGLISH OF THE XIVTh CENTURY 
/ 

CHAUCER'S 

PROLOGUE AND KNIGHTES TALE 

(with grammatical and philological notes) 



DESIGNED TO SERVE AS AN INTRODUCTION 

TO THE STUDY OF ENGLISH 

LITERATURE 



BY 



STEPHEN H. CARPENTER, A.M. 

Late Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature in the 
University of Wisconsin 



J 






BOSTON, U.S.A. 

GINN & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 

^be ^tl)enseum pregg 

1901 



,C3 



^c\ 



THE LIBRARY ©F 

CONGRESS, 
Two Cowee Receive** 

FEB. 28 1902 

C(W»YH»GHT ENTRY 

CLASS ^*^XXo. N«' 

/ U l^ ( Q 

COPY a 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by 

STEPHEN H. CARPENTER, 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



Copyright, 1900, by 
Mrs. STEPHEN H. CARPENTER. 



Copyright, 1901, by 
GINN & COMPANY 



c c c ■■ c c 
etc 



V 






c c ^ ct t *. 



A i 



1 




Typography by J. S. Gushing & Co., Boston, U.S.A. 



Presswork by Ginn & Co., Boston, U.S.A. 



PREFACE, 



This book has been prepared with the design of afford- 
ing the means of a critical study of the EngHsh Language 
to a younger class of pupils than have hitherto been able 
to pursue it profitably ; and, as it is only from a careful 
study of literature that a thorough acquaintance with a 
language can be gained, the work is also intended to 
sei"ve as an introduction to the study of English Literature. 
I have therefore endeavored to render the Notes and Glos- 
sary sufficiently full to remove every difficulty that would 
meet a student of average ability ; intending, if erring 
on either side, to err on the side of giving too much 
rather than too little assistance. Particular attention has 
been given to the grammatical construction, in the belief 
that the true way to study a language is not from the 
dead rules of grammar, but from the living forms of liter- 
ature. I see no reason why the English, studied with 
the same care and thoroughness which are given to the 
ancient classics, may not afford equal mental discipline ; 
especially if an author be studied whose archaisms will 
prevent the common error of mistaking familiarity with 
forms and idioms for a critical knowledge of the structure 
of the language. 



vi PREFACE. 

To Chaucer is assigned the third place among Eng- 
Hsh poets, only Shakspeare and Milton ranking above 
him ; and yet, to the mass of English readers, he is as 
much a stranger as y^schylus or Virgil, the slight 
archaism of his language being sufficient to repel all but 
special students. It is no credit to our scholarship that 
our own language has been thus neglected in our higher 
courses of study, whilst such ample provision has been 
made for the study of ancient and modern tongues. If 
this volume shall serve in any degree to awaken a more 
general interest in the critical study of a language which 
need not fear comparison with any, either ancient or 
modern, and familiarize our students with • an author 
who for five centuries has maintained his place among 
the great poets of the world, its object will be fully 
realized. 

The text here given is mainly that of Morris, in the 
Clarendon Press Series, to whose labors I am much 
indebted ; occasionally, however, I have given a different 
reading, for reasons given in the Notes. I have referred 
to Morris's edition by the letter M. ; to Tyrwhitt's, by 
the letter To 

My first design was to include extracts from the Vision 
of Piers Plowman ; but as the diction of that poem dif- 
fers so materially from that of Chaucer, — representing 
rather the language in its transitional state, — I have 
deferred an edition of that Poem until some future time. 

University of Wisconsin,' 
October, 1872. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction ix 

The Prologue , . , , i 

The Knightes Tale , • . . 26 

Notes to the Prologue , 93 

Notes to the Knightes Tale 191 

Glossarial Index . . , > 253 



INTRODUCTION. 



LIFE OF CHAUCER. 

Of the early life of Geoffrey Chaucer, but little is 
known. Even the date of his birth is uncertain. Ac- 
cording to some authorities he was born at London in 
the year 1328 ; by others this event is placed as late 
as 1340. His writings reveal but the merest glimpses 
of his personal history, so that the only authentic data for 
an account of his life are a few scattered allusions in the 
public records. Both Oxford and Cambridge claim the 
honor of his education, but there is no certain evidence 
that he studied at either. He seems to have been of 
gentle blood, as we find him at a very early period of his 
life attached to the royal household. 

In 1359, Chaucer joined the army of Edward III., 
which invaded France in November of that year. In the 
campaign which followed, he was taken prisoner, but 
was probably released upon the conclusion of the Great 
Peace in 1360. In 1367 he received a pension of twenty 
marks, in consideration of past and future services. 
From 1370 to 1380, Chaucer was in the royal service, 
being employed on various diplomatic missions, which 



X INTRODUCTION. 

he discharged so successfully as to receive additional 
tokens of favor. In the prosecution of these duties he 
travelled extensively, visiting the Low Countries, and 
Italy, — then the resort of learned men, — and where he 
formed the acquaintance of Petrarch, then in the full 
splendor of his fame. 

Chaucer's wife was Philippa de Roet, whose sister 
Katharine was afterwards wife of John of Gaunt, the 
founder of the powerful House of Lancaster, to whose 
fortunes the poet was thus naturally attached. While 
Richard II. was under the influence of this powerful 
nobleman, Chaucer enjoyed the royal favor, but, as the 
Duke's influence waned, the poet was reduced to poverty. 
Richard IL came to the throne upon the death of his 
grandfather, in 1378. Being but twelve years of age, 
the government was placed in the hands of a council 
composed of his three uncles, the Dukes of Lancaster, 
York, and Gloucester. The insurrection under Wat 
Tyler was hardly quelled, when a contest arose between 
the nobles, which did not end until Henry Bolingbroke, 
son of John of Gaunt, ascended the throne from which 
Richard had been deposed by the act of Parliament. 

For a time Richard continued the favor which Edward 
III. had shown the poet; in 1386, however, Chaucer 
was dismissed from all his offices, and his pensions were 
reduced, for some reason which has not been very satis- 
factorily explained. It is probably owing to this fact that 
we possess the Canterbury Tales, — the work by which he 
is best known. His active and cultivated mind, relieved 
from the cares and duties of public life, sought a more 
congenial employment in literature, which he had already 
cultivated to a degree remarkable for that age. 



INTRODUCTION. XI 

Chaucer was admirably fitted for his future eminence 
by this varied hfe, so rich in adventure, — now with tiie 
chivalrous hosts which conquered the armies of the 
French, and captured their king, — now in the English 
Court, at the head of which was Edward III. and his no 
less illustrious son, the Black Prince, — now in diplo- 
matic service abroad, or sitting at the feet of the greatest 
scholars of the day, — now an interested witness of the 
troublous times which ended in the deposition and 
tragical death of Richard II. ; and finally in aged and 
honorable retirement, writing from the rich fund of his 
varied experiences these inimitable Tales, which still, 
after the lapse of five centuries, are as fresh as a spring 
landscape after a shower. 

On the return of Henry Bolingbroke from Spain, Chau- 
cer had once more a powerful protector. His grants 
were restored, and, upon the accession of Henry to the 
throne, largely increased. His enjoyment of this pros- 
perity, however, was brief. In 1400, a little more than 
a year after the son of his old friend had been raised to 
the throne, the poet was gathered to his fathers, full of* 
years and honors. 

GRAMMATICAL OUTLINE. 

Chaucer's English is substantially that of the present 
day. It differs from Anglo-Saxon in being analytic or 
uninflected, although it may fairly be questioned whether 
the spoken Anglo-Saxon ever fully conformed to the 
cumbrous inflections of the written language. The fol- 
lowing brief sketch gives an outline of the grammar of 
Chaucer. 



Xll INTRODUCTION. 



NOUNS. 



Singular. — The nominative answers to the modern 
nominative. The genitive answers to the modern pos- 
sessive, and regularly ends in es ; sometimes this case 
takes no inflection, and sometimes it ends in e. The 
dative denotes the relation expressed by the prepositions 
to or for ; it regularly ends in e. The accusative an- 
swers to the modern objective, and regularly ends like 
the nominative. 

The Plural regularly ends in es ; remnants of the old 
n-declension are also found ; some nouns take no inflec- 
tion in the plural. 









PARADIGMS. 






Sing. 


NOM. 


lippe 


hors wjf ladj 


assche 


man 




Gen. 


lippes 


horses wyfes ladje 


assches 


mannes 




Dat. 


lippe 


horse wyve ladye 


assche 


manne 




Ace. 


lippe 


hors wjf lady 


assche 


man 



Plur. lippes hors wyfes ladies asschen men 

ADJECTIVES. 

Adjectives have two forms, — the Definite and the In- 
definite. The Definite, preceded by some definitive word, 
terminates in e; this termination is usually dropped in 
words of more than one syllable. The Indefinite takes 
no inflection in the singular, but the plural ends regu- 
larly in g, which is usually dropped in predicate ad 
jectives, and in words of more than one syllable. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Xlll 









PRONOUNS. 






Sing:. 




xst Pers. 


zd Pers 


3(f Pers. 






NOM. 




I, Ic 


thou 


he she 


hit, 


it 


Gen. 




min, mi 


thin, thi 


his hire, hir 


his 




DAT. 

Acc. 


\ 


me 


the, thee 


him hir, hire 


hit, 


it 


Plural. 














NOM. 




we 


ye 


thei, they 






Gen. 




our, oure 


youre, jour 


here 






Dat. 

Acc. 


\ 


us 


jow 


hem 







The usual relative is the indeclinable that, but 
this pronoun is often combined with the personal, 
thus : that he = who ; that his == whose ; that him = 
whom. Who, which, what, are regularly interrogative, 
but who is sometimes used indefinitely. There and 
where are sometimes used as dative neuters of the and 
what. Me and men are used indefinitely, like the Ger- 
man m,an. 



VERBS. 

In the inflection of the verb, final n denotes either the 
plural, the infinitive, or the past participle. The so- 
called regular verbs need no further explanation. The 
irregular or strong verbs change the vowel in the pret- 
erite ; some make a further change in the preterite plural : 
as, pres. inf. smiten ; pret. sing. sm.oot, pi. srniten. The 
subjunctive in both tenses takes e in the singular, and en 
in the plural ; but n readily drops. The imperative sing- 
ular is the root of the verb ; the plural usually ends in 
eth. The infinitive ends in en; the n frequently drops. 
The gerundial infinitive, or dative case of the infinitive 
with the preposition to, occasionally occurs, as to seene, 
to see. 



XIV INTRODUCTION. 







PARADIGM. 








Pres. 




Pret. 






Jnd. 


Subj- 


Imp. 


Ind. 


Subj. 


Sing. I. 


helpe 


helpe 




halp 


holpe 


2. 


helpest 


helpe 


help 


halp 


holpe 


3- 


helpeth 


helpe 




halp 


holpe 


PL 


helpe (n) 


helpe (n) 


(2) helpeth 


holpe (n) holpe (n) 


Tnf. 


helpe (n) 


Pres. Part. 


helpinge 


P. Part. 


holpe (n) 



Occasional irregularities will be fully explained in the 
Notes and in the Glossary. 



PRONUNCIATION 

Vowels. — A, a,f a as in French ; ai = aA-ee, as aye ; 
au = ah-00. 

E. e like French ^; S as in met; e final indicating 
oblique cases, feminine gender, plurals, adverbs, inflec- 
tions of verbs, to be lightly pronounced; but regularly 
elided before a vowel or h; also in the pronouns hire^ 
here, cure, youre. This rule is liable to exceptions. Ea as 
in break; ee = ^/ ei = ai; eo = e; eu = ii ; ey = ay. 

I. i = <f^/ i as in pit. 

O. o as in oar; 6 (i) = French o; (2) = ii, as sonne; 
(3) = 00 as in move. Oi = od-ee, as French oui ; 00 = 0. 
Ou (i) = 6b as loud (lood) ; (2) = «, as ous (us) ; (3) = 
a-00, as soul (sowl). 

U. ^ ^=. U ; a 2i.s m but. 

Consonants as at present, except, — 

Gh = German ch, sometimes softened to a "hissed j." 
This sound is represented in the text by an italic y, or gh. 
H final was also a guttural, first softened and then silent. 

If it is found too difficult to give these sounds, read as 
in modern English, adding the final e when necessary to 
the metre. 



CHAUCER. 



CHAUCER. 



THE PROLOGUE. 

Whan that Aprille with his schowres swoote 

The drought of Marche hath perced to the roote, 

And bathed every veyne in swich licour, 

Of which vertue engendred is the flour ; 

Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breethe ^ 

Enspired hath in every holte and heethe 

The tendre croppes, and the j/onge sonne 

Hath in the Ram his halfe cours i-ronne, 

And smale fowles majcen melodie, 

That slepen alle night with open eyhe, «> 

So priketh hem nature in here corages : — 

Thanne longen folk to gon on pilgrimages, 

And palmers for to seeken straunge strondes, — ^ 

To feme halwes, kouthe in sondry londes ; 

And specially, from every schires ende 15 

Of Engelond, to Canturbury they wende, 

The holy blisful martir for to seeke, 

That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke. 

Byfel that, in that sesoun on a day. 
In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay, ao 

Redy to wenden on my pilgrimage 
To Canturbury with ful devout corage, 
At night was come into that hostelrie 



2 THE PROLOGUE. 

Wei nyne and twenty in a companye, 

Of sondry folk, by aventure i-falle 25 

In felawschipe, and pilgryms were thei alle, 

That toward Canturbury wolden ryde ; 

The chambres and the stables weren wyde<^ 

And wel we weren esed atte beste. 

And schortly, whan the sonne was to reste, 30 

So hadde I spoken with hem everychon, 

That I was of here felawschipe anon, 

And made forward erly for to ryse. 

To take our weye ther as I yow devyse. 

But natheles, whiles I have tyme and space, 35 

Or that I forther in this tale pace. 

Me thinketh it acordant to resoun, 

To telle j)/ow al the condicioun 

Of eche of hem, so as it semede me. 

And which they weren, and of what degre ; 40 

And eek in what array that they were inne : 

And at a knight than wol I first bygynne. 

A Knight ther was, and that a worthy man, 
That from the tyme that he first bigan 
To ryden out, he lovede chyvalrye, 45 

Trouthe and honour, fredom and curtesie. 
Ful worthi was he in his lordes werre. 
And thereto hadde he riden, noman ferre, 
As wel in Cristendom as in hethenesse. 
And evere honoured for his worthinesse. 50 

At Alisandre he was whan it was wonne, 
Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bygonne 
Aboven alle naciouns in Pruce. 
In Lettowe hadde he reysed and in Ruce, 
No cristen man so ofte of his degre. 55 

In Gernade atte siege hadde he be 
Of Algesir, and riden in Belmarie. 
At Lieys was he, and at Satalie, 



THE PROLOGUE. 3 

Whan they were wonne ; and in the Greete see 

At many a noble arive hadde he be. 60 

At mortal batailles hadde he ben fiftene, 

And foughten for oure feith at Tramassene 

In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo. 

This ilke worthi knight hadde ben also 

Sometyme with the lord of Palatye, 65 

Ageyn another hethene in Turkye : 

And everemore he hadde a sovereyn prys. 

And though that he was worthy, he was wys, 

And of his port as meke as is a mayde. 

He neverejKit no vilonye ne sayde 7° 

In al his lyf, unto no maner wight. 

He was a verray perfi^>^t gentil knight. 

But for to telle yon of his array, 

His hors was good, but he ne was nou^/^t gay. 

Of fustyan he werede a gepoun 75 

Al bysmotered with his habergeoun. 

For he was late ycome from his viage. 

And wente for to doon his pilgrimage. 

With him ther was his sone, a j^ong Squyer, 
A lovyere, and a lusty bacheler, 80 

With lokkes crulle as they were leyde in presse. 
Of twenty jyeer of age he was I gesse. 
Of his stature he was of evene lengthe. 
And wonderly delyvere, and gret of strengthe. 
And he hadde ben somtyme in chivachie, 85 

In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Ficardie, 
And born him wel, as in so litel space. 
In hope to stonden in his lady grace. 
Embrowded was he, as it were a mede 
Al ful of fresshe floures, white and reede. 90 

Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day ; 
He was as fressh as is the moneth of May. 
Schort was his goune, with sleeves longe and wyde. 



4 THE PROLOGUE 

Wei cowde he sitte on hors, and faire ryde. 

He cowde songes make and wel endite, 95 

Juste and eek daunce, and wel purtraye and write. 

So bote he lovede, that by nightertale 

He sleep nomore than doth a nightyngale. 

Curteys he was, lowely, and servysable, 

And carf byforn his fadiir at the table. 100 

A Ieman hadde he, and servantes nomoo 
At that tyme, for him luste ryde soo ; 
And he was clad in coote and hood of grene. 
A shef of pocok arwes brighte and kene 
Under his belte he bar ful thriftily. 105 

Wel cowde he dresse his takel j^omanly ; 
His arwes drowpede nou^^t with fetheres lowe. 
And in his bond he bar a mighty bowe. 
A not-heed hadde he with a broun visage. 
Of woode-craft wel cowde he al the usage. no 

Upon his arm he bar a gay bracer, 
And by his side a swerd and a bokeler, 
And on that other side a gay daggere, 
Harneysed wel, and scharp as poynt of spere ; 
A Cristofre on his brest of silver schene. 115 

An horn he bar, the bawdrik was of grene ; 
A forster was he sothly, as I gesse. 

Ther was also a Nonne, a Prioresse, 
That of hire smylyng was ful symple and coy ; 
Hire gretteste 00th ne was but by seynt Loy ; 120 

And sche was cleped madame Englentyne. 
Ful wel sche sang the servise divyne, 
Entuned in hire nose ful semely ; 
And Frensch sche spak ful faire and fetysly, 
After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe, 125 

For Frensch of Parys was to hire unknowe. 
At mete wel i-taught was sche withalle ; 
Sche leet no morsel from hire lippes falle. 



THE PROLOGUE. 5 

Ne wette hire fyngres in hire sauce deepe. 

Wei cowde sche carie a morsel, and wel keepe, 130 

That no drope ne fil uppon hire breste. 

In curtesie was set ful moche hire leste. 

Hire overlippe wypede sche so clene, 

That in hire cuppe was no ferthing sene 

Of greece, whan sche dronken hadde hire draughte, 135 

Ful semely after hire mete sche raughte, 

And sikerly sche was of gret disport, 

And ful plesant, and amyable of port, 

And peynede hire to countrefete cheere 

Of court, and ben estatlich of manere, 140 

And to ben holden digne of reverence. 

But for to speken of hire conscience, 

Sche was so charitable and so pitous, 

Sche wolde weepe if that sche sawe a mous 

Caught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. 14s 

Of smale houndes hadde sche, that sche fedde 

With rosted fleissh, or mylk and wastel breed. 

But sore wepte sche if oon of hem were deed, 

Or if men smot it with a yerde smerte : 

And al was conscience and tendre herte. 150 

Ful semely hire wymple i-pynched was ; 

Hire nose tretys ; hire eyen greye as glas ; 

Hire mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed ; 

But sikerly sche hadde a fair forheed. 

It was almost a spanne brood, I trowe ; JS5 

For hardily sche was not undergrowe. 

Ful fetys was hire cloke, as I was waar. 

Of smal coral aboute hire arm sche baar 

A peire of bedes gauded al with grene ; 

And theron heng a broch of gold ful schene, 160 

On which was first i-write a crowned A, 

And after, Amor vincit omnia. 



b THE PROLOGUE. 

Another Nonne with hire hadde sche, 

That was hire chapelleyn, and Prestes thre. 

A Monk ther was, a fiiir for the maistrie, 165 

An out-rydere, that lovede venerye ; 
A inanly man, to ben an abbot able. 
Full many a deynte hors hadde he in stable : 
And whan he rood, men mighte his bridel heere 
Gynglen in a whistlyng wynd as cleere, 170 

And eek as lowde as doth the chapel belle. 
Ther as this lord was kepere of the selle, 
The reule of seynt Maure or of seint Beneyt, 
Bycause that it was old and somdel streyt, 
This ilke monk leet olde thinges pace, 175 

And held after the newe world the trace. 
He j/af nat of that text a pulled hen. 
That seith, that hunters been noon holy men ; 
Ne that a monk, whan he is reccheles 
Is likned to a fissch that is waterles ; 180 

This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre,. 
But thilke text held he not w^orth an 03'stre. 
And I seide his opinioun was good. 
What schulde he studie, and make himselven wood, 
Uppon a book in cloystre alw^ay to powre ; 185 

Or swynke with his handes, and laboure, 
As Austyn byt ? How schal the world be served ? 
Lat Austyn have his swynk to him reserved. 
Therfore he was a pricasour aright ; 

Greyhoundes he hadde as swifte as fowel in flight ; 190 
Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare 
Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare. 
I saugh his sieves purfiled atte honde 
With grys, and that the fyneste of a londe. 
And for to festne his hood under his chynne 195 

He hadde of gold y-wrought a curious pynne : 



THE PROLOGUE. 7 

A love-knotte in the grettere ende ther was. 

His heed was balled, and schon as eny glas, 

And eek his face as he hadde ben anoynt. 

He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt ; aoo 

His eyen steepe, and rollyng in his heede, 

That stemede as a forneys of a leede ; 

His bootes souple, his hors in gret estate. 

Now certeinly he was a fair prelate ; 

He was not pale as a for-pyned goost. 205 

A fat swan lovede he best of eny roost. 

His palfray was as broun as is a berye. 

A Frere ther was, a wantoun and a merye, 
A lymytour, a ful solempne man. 

In alle the ordres foure is noon that can 210 

So moche of daliaunce and fair langage. 
He hadde i-mad ful many a mariage 
Of jKonge wymmen, at his owne cost. 
Unto his ordre he was a noble post. 

Ful wel bi loved and famulier was he ais 

With frankeleyns over-al in his cuntre. 
And eek with worthi wommen of the toun : 
For he hadde power of confessioun, 
As seyde himself, more than a curat, 

For of his ordre he was licentiat. 220 

Ful sweetely herde he confessioun, 
And plesaunt was his absolucioun ; 
He was an esy man to yeve penance 
Ther as he wiste han a good pitance 3 
For unto a poure ordre for to j^ive 225 

Is signe that a man is wel i-schrive. 
For if he j/af, he dorste make avaunt, 
He wiste that a man was repentaunt. 
For many a man so hard is of his herte, 
He may not wepe although him sore smerte. 230 

Therfore in stede of wepyng and preyeres. 



8 THE PROLOGUE, 

Men moot^ive silver to the poure freres. 
His typet was ay farsed ful of knyfes 
And pynnes, for to y'lYQ faire wyfes. 

And certaynli he hadde a mery noote ; 23* 

Wei couthe he synge and pleyen on a rote. 
Of j^eddynges he bar utterly the prys. 
His nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys. 
Therto he strong was as a champioun. 
He knew the tavernes wel in every toun, 340 

And everych hosteller and tappestere, 
Bet than a lazer, or a beggestere, 
For unto such a worth i man as he 
Acordede not, as by his faculte, 

To han with sike lazars aqueyntaunce. 245 

It is not honest, it may not avaunce, 
For to delen with no such poraille, 
But al with riche and sellers of vitaille. 
And overal, ther as profyt schulde arise, 
Curteys he was, and lowely of servyse. 250 

Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous. 
He was the beste beggere in his hous, 
For though a widewe hadde noght 00 schoo, 
•So plesaunt was his In prtnctpio^ 

let wolde he have a ferthing or he wente. 255 

His purchas was wel better than his rente. 
And rage he couthe and pleyen as a whelpe. 
In love-dayes couthe he mochel helpe. 
For ther he was not like a cloysterer, 
With thredbare cope as is a poure scoler, a6o 

But he was like a maister or a pope. 
Of double worstede was his semy-cope, 
That rounded as a belle out of the presse. 
Somwhat he lipsede, for his wantounesse, 
To make his Englissch swete upon his tunge ; 265 

And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde sunge, 



THE PROLOGUE, 9 

His eyg-hen twynkeld in his heed aright, 
As don the sterres in the frosty night. 
This worthi lymytour was cleped Huberd. 

A Marchaunt was ther with a forked herd, 270 

In motteleye, and high on horse he sat, 
Uppon his heed a Flaundrisch bever hat ; 
His botes elapsed faire and fetysly. 
His resons he spak flil solempnely, 

Sownynge alway thencres of his wynnynge. vs 

He wolde the see were kept for eny thinge 
Betwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle. 
Wei couthe he in eschaunge scheeldes selle. 
This worthi man ful wel his wit bisette ; 
Ther wiste no man that he was in dette, 280 

So estately was he of governaunce, 
With his bargayns, and with his chevysaunce. 
For sothe he was a worthi man withalle, 
But soth to sayn, I not what men him calle. 

A Clerk ther was of Oxenford also, 285 

That unto logik hadde longe i-go. 
As lene was his hors as is a rake. 
And he was not right fat, I undertake ; 
But lokede holwe, and therto soberly. 
Ful thredbare was his overeste courtepy, 290 

For he hadde geten him yit no benefice, 
Ne was so worldly for to have office. 
For him was lever have at his beddes heede 
Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reede. 
Of Aristotle and his philosophic, 295 

Then robes riche, or fithel, or gay sawtrie. 
But al be that he was a philosophre, 
Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre ; 
But al that he mighte of his frendes hente, 
On bookes and on lernyng he it spente, 300 

And busily gan for the soules preye ' . 



lo THE PROLOGUE. 

Of hem that j/af hhn wherwith to scoleye, 

Of studic took he most cure and most heede. 

Not oo word spak he more than was neede, 

And that was seid in forme and reverence 305 

And schorl and quyk, and ful of high sentence. 

Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche, 

And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche. 

A Sergeant of Lawe, war and wys, 
That often hadde ben atte parvys, 310 

Ther was also ful riche of excellence. 
Discret he was, and of gret reverence : 
He semede such, his wordes weren so wise, 
Justice he was ful often in assise, 

By patent, and by pleyn commissioun ; 31s 

For his science, and for his heih renoun, 
Of fees and robes hadde he many oon. 
So gret a purchasour was nowher noon. 
Al was fee symple to him in effecte. 

His purchasyng mighte nought ben enfecte. 320 

Nowher so besy a man as he ther nas. 
And yit he seemede besier than he was. 
In termes hadde he caas and domes alle, 
That fro the tyme of kyng William were falle. 
Therto he couthe endite, and make a thing, 325 

Ther couthe no wight pynche at his writyng ; 
And every statute couthe he pleyn by roote. 
He rood but hoomly in a medle coote, 
Gird with a seynt of silk, with barres smale ; 
Of his array telle I no lenger tale. 330 

A Frankeleyn was in his companye ; 
Whit was his berde, as is the dayesye. 
Of his complexioun he was sangwyn. 
Wei lovede he in the morwe a sop in wyn. 
To lyven in delite was al his wone, 335 

For he was Epicurus owne sone. 



THE PROLOGUE. II 

That heeld opynyoun that pleyn delyt 

Was verraily felicite perfyt. 

An houshaldere, and that a gret, was he ; 

Seynt JuHan he was in his countre. 340 

His breed, his ale, was alway after oon ; 

A bettre envyned man was nowher noon. 

Withoute bake mete was nevere his hous. 

Of fleissch and fissch, and that so plentyvous. 

Hit snewede in his hous of mete and drynke, 345 

Of alle deyntees that men cowde thynke. 

After the sondry sesouns of the j/eer. 

So chaungede he his mete and his soper. 

Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in mewe, 

And many a brem and many a luce in stewe. z<>o 

Woo was his cook, but-if his sauce were 

Poynaunt and scharp, and redy al his gere. 

His table dormant in his halle alway 

Stood redy covered al the longe day. 

At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire. 3S5 

Ful ofte tyme he was knight of the schire. 

An anlas and a gipser al of silk 

Heng at his gerdel, whit as morne mylk. 

A schirreve hadde he ben, and a countour ; 

Was nowher such a worthi vavasour. 360 

An Haberdassher and a Carpenter, 
A Webbe, a Deyere, and a Tapicer, 
Weren with us eek, clothed in 00 lyvere. 
Of a solempne and gret fraternite. 

Ful freissh and newe here gere apiked was ; 365 

Here knyfes were i-chaped nat with bras, 
But al with silver wrought ful clene and wel. 
Here gurdles and here pouches every del. 
Wel semede ech of hem a fair burgeys, 
To sitten in aj^eldehalle on a deys. 370 

Everych for the wisdom that he can, 



12 THE PROLOGUE. 

Was schaply for to ben an alderman. 

For catel hadde they inough and rente, 

And eek here wyfes vvolde it wel assente ; 

And elles certeyn were thei to blame. 375 

It is right fair to ben yclept inadame^ 

And for to gon to vigiles al by fore, 

And han a mantel riallyche i-bore. 

A Cook thei hadde with hem for the nones, 
To boyle chyknes with the mary bones, 38a 

And poLidre-marchaunt tart, and galyngale. 
Wel cowde he knowe a drau^>^te of Londone ale. 
He cowde roste, and sethe, and broille, and frie, 
Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye. 
But gret harm was it, as it thoughte me, 385 

That on his schyne a mormal hadde he. 
For blankmanger he made with the beste. 

A ScHiPMAN was ther, wonyng fer by weste : 
For ought I woot, he was of Dertemouthe. 
He rood upon a rouncy, as he couthe, 390 

In a gowne of faldyng to the kne. 
A daggere hangyng on a laas hadde he 
Aboute his nekke under his arm adoun. 
The hoote somer hadde maad his' hew al broun ; 
And certeinly he was a good felawe. 395 

Ful many a draughte of wyn hadde he ydrawe 
From Burdeux-ward, whil that the chapman sleep. 
Of nyce conscience took he no keep. 
If that he faughte, and hadde the he\g'ker hand, 
By water he sente hem hoom to every land. 400 

But of his craft to rekne wel his tydes, 
His sti'emes and his daungers him bisides. 
His herbergh and his mone, his lodemenage, 
Ther was non such from Hulle to Cartage. 
Hardy he was, and wys to undertake ; 405 

With many a tempest hadde his berd ben schake. 



THE PROLOGUE. 13 

He knew wel alle the havenes, as thei were, 

From Gootlond to the cape of Fynestere, 

And every cryke in Bretayne and in Spayne ; 

His barge y-cleped was the Magdelayne. 410 

Ther was also a Doctour of Phisik, 
In al this world ne was ther non him lyk 
To speke of phisik and of surgerye ; 
For he was grounded in astronomye. 

He kepte his pacient wonderly wel 415 

In houres by his magik naturel. 
Wel cowde he fortunen the ascendent 
Of his ymages for his pacient. 
He knew the cause of every maladye, 
Were it of hoot or cold, or moyst, or drye, 420 

And where engendred, and of what humour ; 
He was a verrey parfi^/^t practisour. 
The cause i-knowe, and of his harm the roote, 
Anon he _yaf the syke man his boote. 
Ful redy hadde he his apotecaries, 425 

To sende him dragges, and his letuaries, 
For ech of hem made other for to wynne ; 
Here frendschipe nas not newe to begynne. 
Wel knew he the olde Esculapius, 

And Deiscorides, and eek Rufus ; 430 

Old Ypocras, Haly, and Galien ; 
Serapyon, Razis, and Avycen ; 
Averrois, Damascen, and Constantyn ; 
Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn. 
Of his diete mesurable vs^as he, 43s 

For it was of no superfluite. 
But of gret norisching and digestible. 
His studie was but litel on the Bible. 
In sangwin and in pers he clad was al. 
Lined with taff'ata and with sendal. 440 

And j/it he was but es) of dispence ; 



14 THE PROLOGUE. 

He kepte that he wan in pestilence. 
For gold in phisik is a cordial, 
Therfore he lovede gold in special. 

A Good WiF was ther of byside Bathe, 445 

But sche was somdel deef, and that was skathe. 
Of cloth-makyng she hadde such an haunt, 
Sche passede hem of Ypres and of Gaunt. 
In al the parisshe wyf ne was ther noon 
That to the offryng byforn hire schulde goon, 450 

And if ther dide certeyn so wroth was sche. 
That sche was out of alle eharite. 
Hire keverchefs ful fyne weren of grounde ; 
I durste swere they wey^/^eden ten pounde 
That on a Sonday were upon hire heed. 455 

Hire hosen weren of fyn scarlett reed, 
Ful streyte y-teyd, and schoos ful moyste and newe. 
Bold was hire face, and fair, and reed of hewe. 
Sche was a worthy womman al hire lyfe, 
Housbondes at chirche dore sche hadde fyfe, 460 

Withouten other companye in youthe ; 
But therof needeth nou^//t to speke as nouthe. 
And thries hadde sche ben at Jerusalem ; 
Sche hadde passed many a straunge streem ; 
At Rome sche hadde ben, and at Boloyne, 465 

In Galice at seynt Jame, and at Coloyne. 
Sche cowde moche of wandryng by the weye. 
Gattothed was sche, sothly for to seye. 
Uppon an amblere esily sche sat, 

Ywympled wel, and on hire heed an hat 470 

As brood as is a bocler or a targe ; 
A foot-mantel aboute hire hipes large. 
And on hire feet a paire of spores scharpe. 
In felawschipe wel cowde sche lawghe and carpe. 
Of remedyes of love sche knew parchaunce, 475 

For of that art sche couthe the olde daunce. 



THE PROLOGUE. 15 

A good man was ther of religioiin, 
And was a poure Persoun of a toun ; 
But riche he was of holy thought and werk. 
He was also a lerned man, a clerk 48« 

That Cristes gospel trewely wolde preche ; 
His parischens devoutly wolde he teche. 
Benigne he was, and wonder diligent, 
And in adversite ful pacient ; 

And such he was i-proved ofte sithes. 48s 

Ful loth were him to curse for his tythes. 
But rather wolde he jj/even out of dowte. 
Unto his poure parisschens aboute. 
Of his offrynge, and eek of his substaunce. 
He cowde in litel thing han suffisaunce. 490 

Wyd was his parisch, and houses fer asonder, 
But he ne lafte not for reyne ne thonder. 
In siknesse nor in meschief to visite 
The ferreste in his parissche, moche and lite, 
Uppon his feet, and in his bond a staf. 495 

This noble ensample to his scheep he j/af, 
That first he wroughte, and after that he taughte, 
Out of the gospel he tho w^ordes caughte, 
And this figure he addede eek therto. 

That if gold ruste, what schal yren doo ? 500 

For if a prest be foul, on whom we truste, 
No wonder is a lewed man to ruste ; 
And schame it is, if that a prest take kepe, 
A [foul] schepherde and a clene schepe ; 
Wei oughte a prest ensample for tojj/ive, 50s 

By his clennesse, how that his scheep schulde lyve. 
He sette not his benefice to hyre. 
And leet his scheep encombred in the myre, 
And ran to Londone, unto seynte Poules, 
To seeken him a chaunterie for soules, 510 

Or with a bretherhede to ben withholde ; 



I6 THE PROLOGUE. 

But dwelte at hoom, and kepte wel his folde. 

So that the wolf ne made it not myscarye. 

He was a schepherde and no mercenarie ; 

And though he holy were, and vertuous, 5^5 

He was to sinful man nought dispitous, 

Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne, 

But in his teching discret and benigne. 

To drawe folk to heven by fairnesse, 

By good ensample, was his busynesse : 520 

But it were eny persone obstinat, 

What so he were, of high or lowe estat, 

Him wolde he snybbe scharply for the nones. 

A bettre preest I trowe ther nowher non is. 

He waytede after no pompe and reverence, 525 

Ne makede him a spiced conscience. 

But Cristes lore, and his apostles twelve, 

He taughte, and first he folwede it himselve. 

With him ther was a Ploughman, was his brother, 
That hadde i-lad of dong ful many a fother, 530 

A trewe swynkere and a good was he, 
Lyvynge in pees and perfi^/^t charitee. 
God lovede he best with al his hoole herte 
At alle tymes, though him gamede or smerte. 
And thanne his neighebour right as himselve. 535 

He wolde threisshe, and therto dyke and delve, 
For Cristes sake, with every poure wight, 
Withouten hyre, if it laye in his might. 
His tythes payede he ful faire and wel, 
Bothe of his owne swynk and his catel. 540 

In a tabard he rood upon a mere. 

Ther was also a Reeve and a Mellere, 
A Sompnour and a Pardoner also, 
A Maunciple, and my self, ther were no mo. 

The Mellere was a stout carl for the nones, 545 

Ful big he was of braun, and eek of boones ; 



THE PROLOGUE. 17 

That prevede wel, for overal ther he cam, 
At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram. 
He was schort schuldred, brood, a thikke knarre, 
Ther nas no dore that he nolde heve of harre, 550 

Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed. 
His herd as ony sowe or fox was reed. 
And therto brood, as though it were a spade. 
Upon the cop right of his nose he hade 
A werte, and theron stood a tuft of heres, 55s 

Reede as the berstles of a sowes eeres. 
His nose-thurles blake were and wyde. 
A swerd and bocler baar he by his side, 
His mouth as wyde was as a gret forneys. 
He was a jangler, and a golyardeys, 560 

And that was most of synne and harlotries. 
Wel cowde he stele corn, and tollen thries ; 
And yet he hadde a thombe of goid parde. 
A whit cote and a blewe hood werede he. 
A baggepipe cowde he blowe and sowne, 56s 

And therwithal he broughte us out of towne. 
A gentil Maunciple was ther of a temple. 
Of which achatours mighten take exemple 
For to be wys in beyying of vitaille. 

For whether that he payde, or took by taille, 570 

Algate he waytede so in his achate, 
That he was ay biforn and in good state. 
Now is not that of God a ful fair grace. 
That such a lewed mannes wit schal pace 
The wisdom of an heep of lernede men? 575 

Of maystres hadde he moo than thries ten, 
That were of lawe expert and curious ; 
Of which ther were a doseyn in that house, 
Worthi to ben stiwardz of rente and lond 
Of any lord that is in Engelond, sSo 

To make him lyve by his propre good, 



l8 THE PROLOGUE. 

In honour detteles, but-if he were wood, 

Or lyve as scarsly as hym list desire ; 

And able for to helpen al a schire 

In any caas that mighte falle or happe ; 585 

And y'lt. this maunciple sette here aller cappe. 

The Reeve was a sklendre colerik man, 
His berd was schave as neigh as evere he can. 
His heer was by his eres round i-shorn. 
His top was docked lyk a preest biforn. sgo 

Ful longe wern his legges, and ful lene, 
Y-lik a staf, ther was no calf y-sene. 
Wei cowde he kepe a gerner and a bynne ; 
Ther was non auditour cowde on him w^ynne. 
Wei wiste he by the droughte, and by the reyn, 595 

The yeeldyng of his seed, and of his greyn. 
His lordes scheep, his neet, his dayerie, 
His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrie, 
Was holly in this reeves governynge. 
And by his covenaunt _yaf the rekenynge, eoo 

Syn that his lord was twenti ye^r of age ; 
Ther couthe noman bringe him in arrerage. 
Ther nas baillif, ne herde, ne other hyne. 
That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne ; 
They w^ere adrad of him, as of the dethe. 60s 

His wonyng was ful fair upon an hethe, 
With grene trees i-schadwed was his place. 
He cowde bettre than his lord purchace. 
Ful riche he was i-stored prively, 

His lord wel couthe he plese subtilly, 610 

To j/eve and lene him of his owne good. 
And have a thank, a cote, and eek an hood. 
In_youthe he lerned hadde a good mester; 
He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. 
This reeve sat upon a ful good stot, 615 

That was al pomely gray, and highte Scot. 



THE PROLOGUE, 19 

A long surcote of pers uppon he hade, 

And by his side he bar a rusty blade. 

Of Northfolk was this reeve of which I telle, 

Byside a toun men callen Baldeswelle. 620 

Tukked he was, as is a frere, aboute. 

And evere he rood the hyndreste of the route. 

A SoMPNOUR was ther with us in that place, 
That hadde a fyr-reed cherubynes face. 
For sawceflem he was, with tyg-hen narwe. 625 

With skalled browes blake, and piled herd ; 

Of his visage children weren aferd. 

Ther nas quyksilver, litarge, ne bremstoon, 

Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon, 630 

Ne oynement that wolde dense and byte. 

That him mighte helpen of his whelkes white, 

Ne of the knobbes sittyng on his cheekes. 

Wei lovede he garleek, oynouns, and ek leekes. 

And for to drinke strong wyn reed as blood. 63s 

Thanne v^olde he speke, and crye as he were wood. 

And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn. 

Than wolde he speke no word but Latyn. 

A fewe termes hadde he, tuo or thre. 

That he hadde lerned out of som decree ; 640 

No wonder is, he herde it al the day ; 

And eek_ye knowen wel, how that a jay 

Can clepen Watte, as wel as can the pope. 

But who so couthe in other thing him grope, 

Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophie, 645 

Ay, ^uestio quid juris ,, wolde he crye. 

He was a gentil harlot and a kynde ; 

A bettre felawe schulde men noght fynde. 



650 



20 THE PROLOGUE. 

And prively a fynch eek cowde he pulle. 
And if he fond owher a good felawe, 
He wolde techen him to han non awe 
In such a caas of the archedeknes curs, 655 

But-if a mannes soule were in his purs ; 
For in his purs he scholde punyssched be. 
' Purs is the erchedeknes heile,' quod he. 
But wel I woot he lyede right in dede ; 
Of cursyng oghte ech gulty man him drede; 660 

For curs wol slee right as assoillyng saveth ; 
And also war of him a sig'nificavlt. 
In daunger hadde he at his owne assise 
Thejj/onge gurles of the diocise, 

And knew here counseil, and was ai here red. 665 

A garland hadde he set upon his heed, 
As gret as it were for an ale-stake ; 
A bokeler hadde he maad him of a cake. 
With him ther rood a gentil Pardoner 
Of Rouncival, his frend and his comper, 670 

That streyt was comen from the court of Rome. 
Ful lowde he sang, Com hider, love, to me. 
This sompnour bar to him a stif burdoun, 
Was nevere trompe of half so gret a soun, 
This pardoner hadde heer as yelwe as wex, 67s 

But smothe it heng, as doth a strike of flex ; 
By unces hynge his lokkes that he hadde, 
And therwith he his schuldres overspradde. 
Ful thinne it lay, by culpons on and oon, 
But hood, for jolitee, ne werede he noon, 680 

For it was trussed up in his walet. 
Him though te he rood al of the newe get, 
Dischevele, sauf his cappe, he rood al bare. 
Suche glaryng ey^^en hadde he as an hare. 
A vernicle hadde he sowed on his cappe. 685 

His walet lay byforn him in his lappe. 



THE PROLOGUE, 21 

Bret-ful of pardoun come from Rome al hoot 

A voys he hadde as smal as eny goot. 

No herd ne hadde he, ne nevere scholde have, 

A.S smothe it was as it were hite i-schave ; 690 

But of his craft, fro Berwyk into Ware, 

Ne was ther such another pardoner. 

For in his male he hadde a pilwebeer, 

Which that, he seide, was oure lady veyl : 69s 

He seide, he hadde a gobet of the seyl 

That seynt Peter hadde, whan that he wente 

Uppon the see, til Jhesu Crist him hente. 

He hadde a cros of latoun ful of stones, 

And in a glas he hadde pigges bones. 700 

But with thise reliques, whanne that he fond 

A poure persoun dwellyng uppon lond, 

Upon a day he gat him more moneye 

Than that the persoun gat in monthes tweye. 

And thus with feyned flaterie and japes, 705 

He made the persoun and the people his apes. 

But trewely to tellen atte laste. 

He was in churche a noble ecclesiaste. 

Wei cowde he rede a lessoun or a storye, 

But altherbest he sang an offertorie ; 710 

For wel he wyste, whan that song was songe, 

He moste preche, and wel afFyle his tonge, 

To Wynne silver, as he right wel cowde ; 

Therefore he sang ful meriely and lowde. 

Now have I toldj^ou schortly in a clause 715 

Thestat, tharray, the nombre, and eek the cause 
Why that assembled was this companye 
In Southwerk at this gentil hostelrie. 
That highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle. 
But now is tyme to j^ow for to telle 720 

How that we bare us in that ilke night, 



22 THE PROLOGUE. 

Whan we were in that hosteh'ie ahght ; 

And after wol I telle of oure viage, 

And al the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage. 

But first I prayjKou of your curtesie, 725 

ThatjKe ne rette it nat my vileinye, 

Though that I speke al pleyn in this matere, 

To telle you here wordes and here cheere ; 

Ne though I speke here wordes properly. 

For this ye knowen also wel as I, 730 

Whoso schal telle a tale after a man, 

He moot reherce, as neigh as evere he can, 

Everych a word, if it be in his charge, 

Al speke he nevere so rudelyche and large ; 

Or elles he moot telle his tale untrewe, 735 

Or feyne thing, or fynde wordes newe. 

He may not spare, although he were his brother ; 

He moot as wel seyn 00 word as another. 

Crist spak himself ful broode in holy writ. 

And wel j^e woot no vileinye is it. 740 

Eek Plato seith, whoso that can him rede, 

The wordes mote be cosyn to the dede. 

Also I praye you to forj/eve it me, 

Al have I nat set folk in here degre 

Here in this tale, as that thei schulde stonde ; 745 

My witt is schort, _ye may wel understonde. 

Greet cheere made oure host us everichon, 
And to the souper sette he us anon ; 
And servede us with vitaille atte beste. 
Strong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste. 750 

A semely man oure boost he was withalle 
For to ban been a marschal in an halle ; 
A large man he was with ey^^en stepe, 
A fairere burgeys w^as ther noon in Chepe : 
Bold of his speche, and wys and wel i-taught, 755 

And of manhede him lakkede right naught. 



THE PROLOGUE, 23 

Eek therto he was right a mery man, 

And after soper playen he bygan, 

And spak of myrthe amonges othre thinges, 

Whan that we hadde maad our rekenynges , 760 

And sayde thus : ' Lo, lordynges, trewely 

Tk ben to me right welcome hertely : 

For by my trouthe, if that I schal not lye, 

I ne saugh thisjj/eer so mery a companye 

At oones in this herbergh as is now. 765 

Fayn wolde I don yow mirthe, wiste I how. 

And of a mirthe I am right now bythought, 

To doon you. eese, and it schal coste nought. 

7e goon to Caunturbury ; God you speede, 

The blisful martir quyte j/ou j/oure meede ! 770 

And wel I woot, asj^e gon by the weye, 

2e schapen j^ow to talen and to pleye ; 

For trewely comfort ne mirthe is noon. 

To ryde by the weye domb as a stoon ; 

And therfore wol I makenjKou disport, 775 

As I seyde erst, and do you som confort. 

And if yow liketh alle by oon assent 

Now for to standen at my juggement ; 

And for to werken as I schal _you seye. 

To morwe, whan j/e riden by the weye, 780 

Now by my fadres soule that is deed, 

ButjKG be merye, smyteth of myn heed. 

Hold upjvoure bond withoute more speche.' 

Oure counseil was not longe for to seche ; 

Us thoughte it nas nat worth to make it wys, 78$ 

And grauntede him withoute more avys. 

And bad him seie his verdite, as him leste. 

' Lordynges,' quoth he, * now herkneth for the beste ; 

But taketh it not, I praye j/ou, in disdayn ; 

This is the poynt, to speken schort and playn, 79* 

That ech of yow to schorte with jj/oure weie. 



24 THE PROLOGUE. 

In this viage, schal telle tales tweye, 

To Caunturburi-ward, I mene it so, 

And hom-ward he schal tellen other tuo, 

Of aventures that whilom han bifalle. 795 

And which of _yow that bereth him best of alle, 

That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas 

Tales of best sentence and most solas, 

Schal han a soper at youre alther cost 

Here in this place sittynge by this post, 800 

Whan that we come ageyn from Canturbury 

And for to maken you the more mery, 

I wol myselven gladly with you ryde, 

Right at myn owen cost, and be j/oure gyde. 

And whoso wole my juggement withseie 80s 

Schal paye al that we spenden by the weye. 

And if ye. vouchesauf that it be so. 

Telle me anoon, withouten wordes moo, 

And I wole erely schape me therfore.' 

This thing was graunted, and oure othes swore 810 

With ful glad herte, and pray den him also 

That he wolde vouchesauf for to doon so, 

And that he wolde ben oure governour, 

And of oure tales jugge and reportour, 

And sette a souper at a certeyn prys ; 815 

And we wolde rewled be at his devys. 

In heygh and lowe ; and thus by oon assent 

We been acorded to his juggement. 

And therupon the wyn was fet anoon ; 

We dronken, and to reste wente echoon, 820 

Withouten eny lengere taryinge. 

A morwe whan the day bigan to sprynge, 

Up roos oure host, and was oure alther cok, 

And gadrede us togidre alle in a flok. 

And forth we riden a litel more than paas, 825 

Unto the waterynge of seint Thomas. 



TEE PROLOGUE. 25 

And there oure host bigan his hors areste, 

And seyde ; ' Lordes, herkeneth if jj/ow leste. 

2e wootej^oure forward, and I \t yon recorde. 

If even-song and morwe-song accorde, 830 

Lat se now who schal telle first a tale. 

As evere I moot drinke wyn or ale, 

Whoso be rebel to my juggement 

Schal paye for al that by the weye is spent. 

Now draweth cut, er that we forther twynne ; 835 

Which that hath the schorteste schal bygynne.' 

' Sire knight,' quoth he, ' my maister and my lord. 

Now draweth cut, for that is myn acord. 

Cometh ner,' quoth he, ' my lady prioresse ; 

And_ye, sir clerk, lat be j/oure schamfastnesse, 840 

Ne studieth nat ; ley hand to, every man.' 

Anon to drawen every wight bigan, 
And schortly for to tellen as it was. 
Were it by aventure, or sort, or cas. 

The soth is this, the cut fil t® the knight, 84s 

Of which ful blithe and glad was every wight ; 
And telle he moste his tale as was resoun. 
By forward and by composicioun. 
As ye. han herd ; what needeth wordes moo ? 
And whan this goode man seigh that it was so, 850 

As he that wys was and obedient 
To kepe his forward by his fre assent. 
He seyde : ' Syn I schal bygynne the game, 
What, welcome be thou cut, a Goddes name \ 
Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye.' 855 

And with that word we riden forth oure weye , 
And he bigan with right a merie chere 
His tale anon, and seide in this manere. 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 



Whilom, as olde stories tellen us, 

Ther was a duk that highte Theseus ; 

Of Athenes he was lord and governour. 

And in his tyme swich a conguerour. 

That grettere was ther non under the sonne. s 

Ful many a riche contre hadde he wonne ; 

That with his wisdam and his chivalrie 

He conquerede al the regne of F emyn ye, 

That whilom was i-clepe^TCithea ; 

And weddede he the queen Ipolita, lo 

And broughte hire hoom with him in his co ntre 

With moche glorie and gret solempnite, 

And eek hire j/onge suster Emelye. 

And thus with victprie and with melodye 

Lete I this noble duk to Athenes ryde, 15 

And al his host, in armes him biside. 

And certes, if it nere to longe to heere, 

I wolde han toldj^ow fully the manere. 

How wonnen was the regne of Femenye 

By Theseus, and by his chivalrye ; 90 

And of the grete bataille for the nones 

Bytwixen Athenes and the Amazones ; 

And how asege^ was Ypolita, 

The faire hardy quen of Cithea ; 



\ 



THE KNIQHTES TALE. 27 

And of the fg^ that was at hire weddyngCo 25 

And of the tempest at hire hoom comynge ; 

But al that thing- I mot as now forbere. 

I have, God wot, a large feeld to ere, 

And wayke ben the oxen in my plough, 

The remenaunt of the tale is long inough ; 30 

I wol not lette eek non of al this rowte, 

Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute, 

And lat see now who schal the soper vvynne, 

And ther I lafte, I wol agayn begynne. 

This duk, of whom I make mencioun, 3S 

Whan he was come almost unto the toun, 
In al his wele and in his moste pryde. 
He was war, as he caste his ^ygJiQ aside, 
Wher that ther knelede in the hye weye 
A companye of ladies, tweye and tweye, 40 

Ech after other, clad in clothes blake ; 
But such a cry and such a woo they make, 
That in this world nys creature lyvynge, 
That herde such another weymentynge, 
And of this cry they nolde nevere stenten, 4S 

Til they the reynes of his bridel henten. 
' What folk benjve that at myn hom comynge 
Pertourben so my feste with cryinge ? ' 
Qiiod Theseus, 'havej^e so gret envye 
Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crie ? 50 

Or who hath j^ow misboden, or offended ? 
And telleth me if it may ben amended ; 
And w^hy thatj/e ben clad thus al in blak?' 

The eldeste lady of hem alle spak. 
When sche hadde swowned with a dedly chere, 55 

That it was routhe for to seen or heere ; 
And seyde : ' Lord, to whom Fortune hath j/even 
Victorie, and as a conquerour to lyven, 
Nought greveth usjj/oure glorie and honour; 



28 THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

But we beseken mercy and socour. tc 

Have mercy on oure woo and oure distresse. 

Som drope of pitee, thurgh j^oure gentilnesse, 

Uppon us wrecchede wommen lat thou falle. 

For certes, lord, ther nys noon of us alle, 

That sche nath ben a duchesse or a queene ; 65 

Now be we caytifs, as it is wel scene : 

Thanked be Fortune, and hire false wheel, 

That noon estat assureth to ben weel. 

And certes, lord, to abiden youre presence 

Here in the temple of the goddesse Clemence 70 

We han ben waytynge al this fourtenight ; 

Now help us, lord, syth it is in thy might. 

I wrecche, which that wepe and way lie thus. 

Was whilom wyf to kyng Capaneus, 

That starf at Thebes, cursed be that day ; 75 

And alle we that ben in this array. 

And maken al this lamentacioun, 

We losten alle oure housbondes at the toun, 

Whil that the sege ther aboute lay. 

Andj^^et the olde Creon, wxlaway ! 80 

That lord is now of Thebes the citee, 

Fulfild of ire and of iniquite. 

He for despyt, and for his tyrannye, 

To do the deede bodyes vileinye. 

Of alle oure lordes, whiche that ben i-slawe, 85 

Hath alle the bodies on an heep y-drawe. 

And wol not sufTren hem by noon assent 

Nother to ben y-buried nor y-brent, 

But maketh houndes ete hem in despite.' 

And with that word, withoute more respite, 90 

They fillen gruf, and criden pitously, 

' Have on us wrecchede wommen som mercy, 

And lat oure sorwe synken in thyn herte.* 

This gentil duk doun from his courser sterte 



THE KNIOHTES TALE. 29 

With herte pitous, whan he herde hem speke. 95 

Him thoughte that his herte wolde brake, 

Whan he seyh hem so pitous and so maat, 

That whilom weren of so gret estat. 

And in his armes he hem all up hente, 

And hem conforteth in ful good entente ; 100 

And swor his oth, as he was trewe knight, 

He wolde don so ferforthly his might 

Upon the tyraunt Creon hem to wreke, 

That al the people of Grece scholde speke 

How Creon was of Theseus y-served, 105 

As he that hadde his deth ful wel deserved. 

And right anoon, withoute more abood 

His baner he desplayeth, and forth rood 

To Thebes-ward, and al his boost bysyde ; 

No nerre Athenes wolde he go ne ryde, no 

Ne take his eese fully half a day. 

But onward on his way that nyght he lay ; 

And sente anoon Ypolita the queene, 

And Emelye hire j/onge suster schene, * 

Unto the toun of Athenes to dwelle ; 115 

And forth he ryt ; ther is no more to telle. 

The reede statue of Mars with spere and targe 
So schyneth in his white baner large, 
That alle the feeldes gliteren up and doun ; 
And by his baner was born his pynoun 120 

Of gold ful riche, in which ther was i-bete 
The Minatour which that he slough in Crete. 
Thus ryt this duk, thus r3^t this conquerour, 
And in his boost of chevalrie the flour, 
Til that he cam to Thebes, and alighte 125 

Faire in a feeld ther as he thoughte fighte. 
But schortly for to speken of this thing, 
With Creon, which that was of Thebes kyng, 
He faught, and slough him manly as a knight 



so THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flight ; 130 

And by assaut he wan the cite after, 

And rente doun bothe wal, and sparre, and rafter ; 

And to the ladies he restorede agayn 

The bones of here housbondes that were slayn, 

To don exequies, as was tho the gyse. 13s 

But it were al to longe to devyse 

The grete clamour and the waymentynge 

Which that the ladies made at the brennynge 

Of the bodyes, and the grete honour 

That Theseus the noble conquerour 140 

Doth to the ladyes, whan they from him wente. 

But schortly for to telle is myn entente. 

Whan that tliis worthy duk, this Theseus, 

Hath Creon slayn, and Thebes wonne thus, 

Stille in the feelde he took al night his reste, 14s 

And dide w^ith al the contre as him leste. 

To ransake in the tas of bodyes dede 
Hem for to streepe of herneys and of wede. 
The pilours diden businesse and cure. 
After the bataile and disconfiture. 150 

And so byfil, that in the tas thei founde, 
Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde, 
Two j/onge knightes liggyng by and by, 
Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely ; 
Of whiche two, Arcite highte that oon, 15s 

And that other knight highte Palamon. 
Nat fully quyke, ne fully deede they were, 
But by here coote-armures, and by here gere, 
The Heraudes knewe hem best in special, 
As they that weren of the blood real i6e 

Of Thebes, and of sistren tuo i-born. 
Out of the taas the pilours han hem torn, 
And han hem caried softe unto the tente 
Of Theseus, and he ful sone hem sente 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 3 1 

Tathenes, for to dwellen in prisoim i6s 

Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunceoun. 

And whan this worthy duk hath thus i-doon, 

He took his host, and horn he ryt anoon 

With laurer crowned as a conquerour ; 

And there he lyveth in joye and in honour 170 

Terme of his lyf ; what nedeth wordes naoo ? 

And in a tour, in angwische and in woo, 

This Palamon, and his felawe Arcite, 

For everemo, ther may no gold hem quyte. 

Thus passeth jj/eer by j^eer, and day by day, 175 

Til it fel oones in a morwe of May 
That Emelie, that fairer was to seene 
Than is the lilie on hire stalke grene. 
And fresscher than the May with floures newe — 
For with the rose colour strof hire hewe, 180 

I not which was the fayrere of hem two — 
Er it were day, as was hire wone to do, 
Sche was arisen, and al redy dight ; 
For May wole han no sloggardye anight. 
The sesoun priketh every gentil herte, i8s 

And maketh him out of his sleepe sterte, 
And seith, ' Arys, and do thin observance.* 
This makede Emelye han remembrance 
To don honour to May, and for to ryse. 
I-clothed was sche fresshe, for to devyse ; 190 

Hirej/elwe heer was browded in a tresse, 
Byhynde hire bak, a _yerde long I gesse. 
And in the gardyn at the sonne upriste 
Sche walketh up and doun, and as hire liste 
Sche gadereth floures, party whyte and reede, 19s 

To make a sotil gerland for hire heede. 
And as an aungel hevenly sche song. 
The grete tour, that was so thikke and strong, 
Which of the castel was the cheef dongeoun. 



32 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

(Ther as the knightes weren in prisoun, too 

Of which I tolde _yow, and telle schal) 
Was evene joynyng to the gardeyn wal, 
Ther as this Emely hadde hire pleyynge. 
Bright was the sonne, and cleer that morwenynge, 
And Palamon, this woful prisoner, 205 

As was his wone, by leve of his gayler 
Was risen, and romede in a chambre on heigh, 
In which he al the noble cite seigh. 
And eek the gardeyn, ful of braunches grene, 
Ther as the fresshe Emely the scheene 210 

Was in hire walk, and romede up and doun. 
This sorweful prisoner, this Palamon, 
Gooth in the chambre, romyng to and fro. 
And to himself compleynyng of his woo ; 
That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, alas ! 215 

And so byfel, by aventure or cas, 
That thurgh a wyndow, thikke of many a barre 
Of iren greet, and squar as eny sparre. 
He caste his eyen upon Emelya, 

And therwithal he bleynte and cryede, a ! 22b 

As though he stongen were unto the herte. 
And with that crye Arcite anon up sterte, 
And seyde, ' Cosyn myn, what eyleth the. 
That art so pale and deedly on to see ? 
Why crydestow? who hath the doon offence? 22s 

For Goddes love, tak al in pacience 
Oure prisoun, for it may non other be ; 
Fortune hath jj/even us this adversite. 
Som wikke aspect or disposicioun 

Of Saturne, by sum constellacioun, 230 

Hath jKeven us this ; although we hadde it sworn — 
So stood the heven whan that we were born — 
We moste endure it : this is the schort and pleyn/ 
This Palamon answerde, and seyde ageyn, 



THE KNIGHTEIS TALE. 33 

' Cosyn, for sothe of this opynyoun 235 

Thou hast a veyn ymaginacioun. 

This prisoun causede me not for to crye. 

But I was hurt right now thurghout myn eyhe 

Into myn herte, that wol my bane be. 

The fairnesse of that lady that I see , 240 

Tond in the gardyn rome to and fro, 

Is cause of al my cryying and my wo. 

I not whether sche be womman or goddesse ; 

But Venus is it, sothly as I gesse.' 

And therwithal on knees adoun he fil, 245 

And seyde : ' Venus, if it be _youre wil 

2b w in this gard3'n thus to transfigure, 

Biforn me sorweful wrecche creature, 

Out of this prisoun help that we may scape. 

And if so be my destine be schape 250 

By eterne word to deyen in prisoun, 

Of oure lynage have sum compassioun, 

That is so lowe y-brought by tyrannye.' 

And with that word Arcite gan espye 

Wher as this lady romede to and fro. 255 

And with that sighte hire beaute hurte him so, 

That if that Palamon was wounded sore, 

Arcite is hurt as moche as he, or more. 

And with a sigh he seyde pitously : 

'- The freissche beaute sleeth me sodeynly 260 

Of hire that rometh yonder in the place ; 

And but I have hire mercy and hire grace, 

That I may see hire atte leste weye, 

I nam but deed ; ther nys no more to seye. 

This Palamon, whan he tho wordes herde, 265 

Dispitously he lokede, and answerde : 

' Whether seistow this in ernest or in pley ?* 

' Nay,' quoth Arcite, ' in ernest by my fey. 

God helpe me so, me lust ful evele pleye,* 



34 TEE KNIGHTES TALE. 

This Palamon gan knytte his browes tweye : ajo 

• It nere,' quod he, 'to the no gret honour, 

For to be fals, ne for to be traytour 

To me, that am thy cosyn and thy brother 

I-swore ful deepe, and ech of us to other, 

That nevere for to deyen in the payne, 275 

Til that the deeth departe schal us twayne, 

Neyther of us in love to hyndren other, 

Ne in non other cas, my leeve brother ; 

But that thou schuldest trewely forthren me 

In every caas, and I schal forthren the. 280 

This was thyn oth, and myn also certayn ; 

I wot right wel, thou darst it nat withsayn. 

Thus art thou of my counseil out of doute. 

And now thou woldest falsly ben aboute 

To love my lady, whom I love and serve, 285 

And evere schal, unto myn herte sterve. 

Now certes, false ^rcite, thou schalt not so. 

I lovede hire first, and tolde the my woo 

As to my counseil, and my brother sworn 

To forthre me, as I have told biforn. 290 

For which thou art i-bounden as a knight 

To helpe me, if it lay in thi might, 

Or elles art thou fals, I dar wel sayn.' 

This Arcite ful proudly spak agayn. 

' Thou schalt,' quoth he, ' be rather fals than I. «9S 

But thou art fals, I telle the utterly. 

Yor par amour I lovede hire first er thow. 

What wolt thou sayn ? thou wistest not yiX. now 

Whether sche be a womman or goddesse. 

Thyn is afFeccioun of holynesse, v» 

And myn is love, as to a creature ; 

For which I tolde the myn aventure 

As to my cosyn, and my brother sworn. 

I pose, that thou lovedest hire biforn ; 



THE KNIQHTES TALE. 35 

Wost thou nat wel the olde clerkes sawe, 305 

That who schal jj/eve a lover eny lawe ? 

Love is a grettere lawe, by my pan, 

Then may be jj/eve to eny erthly man. 

Therfore posityf lawe, and such decre. 

Is broke alday for love in ech degree. 310 

A man moot needes love maugre his heed. 

He may nought flen it, though he schulde be deed, 

Al be sche mayde, or widewe, or elles wyf. 

And eek it is nat likly al thy lyf 

To stonden in hire grace, no more schal I ; 31s 

For wel thou wost thyselven verraily. 

That thou and I been dampned to prisoun 

Perpetuelly, us gayneth no raunsoun. 

We stryve, as dide the houndes for the boon. 

They foughte al day, and j^it here part was noon ; 320 

Ther com a kyte, whil that they were so wrothe. 

And bar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe. 

And therfore at the kynges court, my brother, 

Ech man for himself, ther is non other. 

Love if the list ; for I love and ay schal ; 325 

And sothly, leeve brother, this is al. 

Here in this prisoun moote we endure, 

And everych of us take his aventure.' 

Gret was the stryf and long bytwixe hem tweye, 
If that I hadde leyser for to seye ; 330 

But to theffect. — It happede on a day, 
(To telle itjvow as schortly as I may) 
A worthy duk that highte Perotheus, 
That felawe was unto duk Theseus 

Syn thilke day that they were children lyte, 33s 

Was come to Athenes, his felawe to visite. 
And for to pleye, as he was wont to do, 
For in this world he lovede noman so : 
And he lovede him as tenderly agayn. 



36 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

So wel they lovede, as olde bookes sayn, 340 

That whan that oon was deed, sothly to telle, 

His felawe wente and soughte him doun in helle ; 

But of that story lyst me nought to write. 

Duk Perotheus lovede wel Arcite, 

And hadde him knowe at Thebes j^eer by _yeer ; 345 

And fynally at requeste and prayer 

Of Perotheus, withouten any raunsoun 

Duk Theseus him leet out of prisoun, 

Frely to gon, wher that him luste overal. 

In such a gyse, as Ij^ou telle schal. 350 

This was the forward, playnly for tendite, 

Bitwixe Theseus and him Arcite : 

That if so were, that Arcite were yfounde 

Evere in his lyf, by daye or night, o stound 

In eny contre of this Theseus, 355 

And he were caught, it was acorded thus. 

That with a swerd he scholde lese his heed ; 

Ther nas noon other remedy ne reed, 

But took his leeve, and homward he him spedde ; 

Let him be war, his nekke lith to wedde. 360 

How gret a sorwe suffreth now Arcite ! 

The deth he feleth thurgh his herte smyte ; 

He weepeth, weyleth, cryeth pitously ; 

To slen himself he wayteth pryvyly. 

He seyde, ' Alias the day that I was born ! 365 

Now is my prisoun werse than biforn ; 

Now is me schape eternally to dwelle 

Nought in purgatorie, but in helle. 

Alias ! that evere knew I Perotheus ! 

For elles hadde I dweld with Theseus 370 

I-fetered in his prisoun evere moo. 

Than hadde I ben in blisse, and nat in woo. 

Oonly the sighte of hire , whom that I serve. 

Though .that I nevere hire grace may deserve, 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 37 

Wolde han sufficed right ynough for me. 375 

O dere cosyn Palamon,' quod he, 

' Thyn is the victoire of this aventure, 

Ful bhsfully in prisoun maistow dure ; 

In prisoun ? certes nay, but in paradys ! 

Wei hath fortune y-torned the the dys, 380 

That hast the sighte of hire, and I thabsence. 

For possible is, syn thou hast hire presence. 

And art a knight, a worthi and an able, 

That by som cas, syn fortune is chaungable, 

Thou maist to thy desir somtyme atteyne. 385 

But I that am exiled, and bareyne 

Of alle grace, and in so gret despeir, 

That ther nys erthe, water, fyr, ne eyr, 

Ne creature, that of hem maked is'^ 

That may me helpe or doon confort in this. 390 

Wei oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse ; 

Farwel my lyf, my lust, and my gladnesse. 

Alias, why playnen folk so in comune 

Of purveance of God, or of fortune. 

That jveveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse 395 

Wei better than thai can hemself devyse? 

Som man desireth for to han richesse, 

That cause is of his morthre or gret seeknesse. 

And som man wolde out of his prisoun fayn, 

That in his hous is of his mayne slayn. 400 

Infinite harmes ben in this mateere ; 

We witen nat what thing we prayen libera. 

We faren as he that dronke is as a mows. 

A dronke man wot wel he hath an hous. 

But he not which the righte wey is thider, 405 

And to a dronke man the wey is slider, 

And certes in this world so faren we ; 

We seeken faste after felicite, 

But wa gon wrong ful ofte trewely. 



38 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

Thus may we seyen alle, and namelyche I, 410 

That wende and hadde a gret opinioun, 

Thatjvif I mighte skape fro prisoun, 

Than hadde I ben in joye and perfyt hele, 

Ther now I am exiled fro my wele. 

Syn that I may not sen^ow, Emelye, 415 

I nam but deed ; ther nys no remed3^e.' 

Uppon that other syde Palamon, 
Whan that he wiste Arcite was agoon, 
Such sorwe he maketh, that the grete tour 
Resowneth of his _yollyng and clamour. 420 

The pure fettres on his schynes grete 
Weren of his bittre salte teres wete. 
' Alias ! ' quod he, ' Arcita, cosyn myn, 
Of al oure strif, God woot, the fruyt is thin. 
Thow walkest now in Thebes at thi large, 425 

And of my woo thou j^evest litel charge. 
Thou maist, syn thou hast wysdom and manhede, 
Assemblen al the folk of oure kynrede, 
And inake a werre so scharpe on this cite, 
That by som aventure, or som trete, 430 

Thou mayst have hire to lady and to wyf. 
For whom that I mot needes leese my lyf. 
For as by wey of possibilite, 
Syth thou art at thi large of prisoun free, 
And art a lord, gret is thin avantage, 435 

More than is myn, that sterve here in a kage. 
For I moot weepe and weyle, whil I lyve. 
With al the woo that prisoun may mej^yve, 
And eek with peyne that love me yeveth. also, 
That doubleth al my torment and my wo.' 440 

Therwith the fyr of jelousye upsterte 
Withinne his breste, and hente him by the herte 
So wodly, that he lik was to byholde 
The box-tree, or the asschen deede and colde. 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 



39 



T^ho seyde he : ' O cruel goddes, that governe 
This world with byndyng of j/oure word eterne, 
And writen in the table of athamaunte 
2oure parlement, and youre. eterne graunte ! 
What is mankynde more unto yow holde 
Than is the scheep, that rouketh in the folde? 
For slayn is man right as another beest, 
And dwelleth eek in prisoun and arreest, 
And hath seknesse, and greet adversite, 
And ofte tymes gilteles, parde. 
What governaunce is in this prescience, 
That gilteles tormenteth innocence ? 
And _yet encreceth this al my penaunce, 
That man is bounden to his observaunce 
For Goddes sake to letten of his wille, 
Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfiUe. 
And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne ; 
But man after his deth moot wepe and pleyne, 
Though in this world he have care and woo : 
Withouten doute it may stonde so. 
The answere of this I lete to divinis, 
But wel I woot, that in this world gret pyne is. 
Alias ! I se a serpent or a theef, 
That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef, 
Gon at his large, and wher him lust may turne. 
But I moot ben in prisoun thurgh Saturne, 
And eek thurgh Juno, jalous and eek wood, 
That hath destruyed wel neyh al the blood 
Of Thebes, with his waste walles wyde. 
And Venus sleeth me on that other syde 
For jelousye, and fere of him Arcyte.* 
Now wol I stynte of Palamon a lite, 
And lete him in his prisoun stille dwelle, 
And of Arcita forth I wol j^ou telle. 
The somer passeth, and the nightes longe 



445 



450 



455 



60 



465 



470 



475 



40 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

Encrescen double wise the peynes stronge 480 

Bothe of the lover and the prisoner. 

I noot which hath the wofuUere myster. 

For schortly for to seyn, this Palamon 

Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun, 

In cheynes and in fettres to be deed ; 485 

And Arcite is exiled upon his heed 

For evere mo as out of that contre, 

Ne nevere mo he schal his lady see. 

Tow loveres axe I now this question, 

Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamon } 400 

That on may se his lady day by day, 

But in prisoun he moste dwelle alway. 

That other wher him lust may ryde or go, 

But seen his lady schal he nevere mo. 

Now deemeth as you luste, j/e that can, 495 

For I wol telle forth as I bigan. 

Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was, 
Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde alas, 
For seen his lady schal he nevere mo. 
And schortly to concluden al his wo, 500 

So moche sorwe hadde nevere creature. 
That is or schal whil that the world may dure. 
His sleep, his mete, his drynk is him byraft. 
That lene he wex, and drye as is a schaft. 
His eyen holwe, and grisly to biholde ; 505 

His hewe falwe, and pale as asschen colde, 
And solitary he was, and evere alone. 
And waillyng al the night, making his moone. 
And if he herde song or instrument. 
Then wolde he wepe, he mighte nought be stent ; 510 

So feble eek were his spirites, and so lowe. 
And chaunged so, that no man couthe knowe 
His speche nother his vois, though men it herde. 
And in his geere, for al the world he ferde 



THE KNIQHTES TALE. 41 

Nought oonly lyke the lovers maladye 515 

Of Hereos, but rather lik manye 

Engendred of humour melancolyk, 

Byforen in his selle fantastyk. 

And schortly turned was al up-so-doun 

Bothe habyt and eek disposicioun 520 

Of him, this woful lovere daun Arcite. 

What schulde I alday of his wo endite ? 

Whan he endured hadde a yeer or tuoo 

This cruel torment, and this peyne and woo. 

At Thebes, in his contre, as I seyde, 525 

Upon a night in sleep as he him leyde, 

Him thoughte how that the wenged god Mercurie 

Byforn him stood, and bad him to be murye. 

His slepy j^erde in bond he bar uprighte ; 

An hat he werede upon his heres brighte. 530 

Arrayed was this god (as he took keepe) 

As he was whan that Argous took his sleepe ; 

And seyde him thus : ' To Athenes schalt thou wende •, 

Ther is the schapen of thy wo an ende.' 

And with that word Arcite wook and sterte. 535 

' Now trewely how sore that me smerte.' 

Quod he, ' to Athenes right now wol I fare ; 

Ne for the drede of deth schal I not spare 

To see my lady, that I love and serve ; 

In hire presence I recche nat to starve.' 540 

And with that word he caughte a gret myrour, 

And saugh that chaunged was al his colour, 

And saugh his visage al in another kynde. 

And right anoon it ran him into mynde, 

That sith his face was so disfigured 545 

Of maladie the which he hadde endured, 

He mighte wel, if that he bar him lowe, 

Lyve in Athenes evere more unknowe. 

And seen his lady wel neih day by day. 



42- TEE KNIOHTES TALE. 

And right anon he chaungede his aray, 550 

And cladde him as a poure laborer. 

And al alone, save oonly a squyer. 

That knew his pryvyte and al his cas, 

Which was disgysed povrely as he was, 

To Athenes is he gon the nexte way. sss 

And to the court he wente upon a day. 

And at the _yate he profrede his servyse, 

To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse. 

And schortly of this matier for to seyn, 

He fel in office with a chamberleyn, 560 

The which that dwellyng was with Emelye ; 

For he was wys, and couthe sone aspye 

Of every servaunt, which that servede here. 

Wei couthe he hewe woode, and water here, 

For he wasj)/ong and mighty for the nones, 565 

And therto he was strong and bygge of bones 

To doon that eny wight can him devyse. 

A_)/eer or two he was in this servise. 

Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte ; 

And Philostrate he seide that he highte. 570 

But half so wel byloved a man as he 

Ne was ther nevere in court of his degree. 

He was so gentil of condicioun. 

That thurghout al the court was his renoun. 

They seyde that it were a charite^ S75 

That Theseus wolde enhaunse his degree. 

And putten him in worschipful servyse, 

Ther as he mighte his vertu exercise. 

And thus withinne a while his name is spronge 

Bothe of his dedes, and his goode tonge, s8a 

That Theseus hath taken him so neer 

That of his chambre he made him a squyer, 

And j^af him gold to mayntene his degree ; 

And eek me?i broughte him out of his countre 



TEE KNIOETES TALE. 43 

Fro j/eer to j/eer ful pryvyly his rente ; 585 

But honestly and sleighly he it spente, 

That no man wondrede how that he it hadde. 

And threj/eer in this wise his lyf he ladde, 

And bar him so in pees and eek in werre, 

Ther nas no man that Theseus hath derre. 590 

And in this bHsse lete I now Arcite, 

And speke I wole of Palamon a lyte. 

In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun 
This seven j/eer hath seten Palamoun, 
Forpyned, what for woo and for distresse. 595 

Who feleth double sorwe and hevynesse 
But Palamon ? that love destreyneth so, 
That wood out of his wit he goth for wo ; 
And eek therto he is a prisoner 

Perpetuelly, nat oonly for a yeer. 6cxj 

Who couthe ryme in Englissch proprely 
His martirdam ? for sothe it am nat I ; 
Therfore I passe <is lightly as I may. 
Hit fel that in the seventhe yeer in May 
The thridde night, (as olde bookes seyn, 605 

That al this storie tellen more pleyn) 
Were it by aventure or destine, 
(As, whan a thing is schapen, it schal be,) 
That soone after the mydnyght, Palamoun 
By helpyng of a freend brak his prisoun, 610 

And fleeth the cite faste as he may goo. 
For he hadde j^ive his gayler drinke soo 
Of a clarre, maad of a certeyn wyn. 
With nercotyks and opye of Thebes fyn, 
That al that night though that men wolde him schake, 615 
The gayler sleep, he mighte nou^/zt awake. 
And thus he fleeth as faste as evere he may. 
The night was schort, and faste by the day, 
Tiiat needes-cost he moste himselven hyde^ 



44 THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

And til a grove faste ther besyde 620 

With dredful foot than stalketh Palamoun. 

For schortl}'^ this was his opynyoun, 

That in that grove he wolde him hyde al day, 

And in the night then v^olde he take his way 

To Thebes-ward, his frendes for to preye 625 

On Theseus to helpe him to werreye ; 

And schortehche, or he wolde lese his lyf, 

Or wynnen Emelye unto his wyf. 

This is thefFect and his entente playn. 

Now wol I torne unto Arcite agayn, 630 

That litel wiste how nyh that was his care, 

Til that fortune hadde brought him in the snare. 

The busy larke, messager of daye, 
Salueth in hire song the morwe graye ; 
And fyry Phebus ryseth up so brighte, 635 

That al the orient laugheth of the lighte. 
And with his stremes dryeth in the greves 
The silver dropes, hongyng on the leev%s. 
And Arcite, that is in the court ryal 

With Theseus, his squyer principal, 640 

Is risen, and loketh on the merye day. 
And for to doon his observance to May, 
Remembryng on the poynt of his desir. 
He on his courser, stertyng as the fir, 
Is riden Into the feeldes him to pleye, 645 

Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye. 
And to the grove, of which that I yow tolde. 
By aventure his wey he gan to holde. 
To nlaken him a garland of the greves. 
Were it of woodebynde or hawthorn leves, 650 

And lowde he song a^ens the sonne scheene : 
' May, with alle thy floures and thy greene, 
Welcome be thou, wel faire freissche May, 
I hope that I som grene gete may.' 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 45 

And fro his courser, with a lusty herte, 655 

Into the grove ful hastily he sterte, 

And in a path he rometh up and doun, 

Ther as by aventure this Palamoun 

Was in a busche, that no man mighte him see, 

For sore afered of his deth was he. 660 

Nothing ne knew he that it was Arcite : 

God wot he wolde han trowed it ful lite. 

But soth is seyd, goon sithen many jj/eres, 

That feld hath eyen, and the woode hath eeres. 

It is ful fair a man to bere him evene, 665 

For al day meteth men at unset stevene. 

Ful litel woot Arcite of his felawe, 

That was so neih to herken al his sawe. 

For in the busche he sytteth now ful stille. 

Whan that Arcite hadde romed al his fiUe, 670 

And songen al the roundel lustily, 

Into a studie he fel al sodeynly. 

As don thes lovers in here queynte geeres. 

Now in the croppe, now doun in the breres. 

Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle. 675 

Right as the Friday, sothly for to telle. 

Now it schyneth, now it reyneth faste, 

Right so can gery Venus overcaste 

The hertes of hire folk, right as hire day 

Is gerful, right so chaungeth sche aray. 680 

Selde is the Fryday al the wyke i-like. 

Whan that Arcite hadde songe, he gan to sike, 

And sette him doun withouten eny more : 

' Alas ! ' quod he, ' that day that I was bore ! 

How longe Juno, thurgh thy cruelte, 68s 

Wiltow werreyen Thebes the citee ? 

Alias ! i-brou^/^t is to confusioun 

The blood royal of Cadme and Amphioun ; 

Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man 



^6 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

That Thebes bulde, or first the toun bygan, 690 

And of that cite first was crowned kyng, 

Of his lynage am I, and his ofspring 

By verray lyne, as of the stok ryal : 

And now I am so caytyf and so thral, 

That he that is my mortal enemy, 69s 

I serve him as his squyer povrely. 

And _yet doth Juno me w^el more schame, 

For I dar nought byknowe myn owne name, 

But ther as I was wont to bote Arcite, 

Now hoote I Philostrate, nou^/^t worth a myte. 700 

Alias ! thou felle Mars, alias ! Juno, 

Thus hath jvoure ire owre kynrede al fordo. 

Save oonly me, and wrecched Palamoun, 

That Theseus martyreth in prisoun. 

And over al this, to sleen me utterly, 705 

Love hath his fyry dart so brennyngly 

I-styked thurgh my trewe careful herte. 

That schapen was my deth erst than my scherte. 

Tq slen me with youre eyhen, Emelye ; 

2e ben the cause wherfore that I dye. 710 

Of al the remenant of myn other care 

Ne sette I nou^/^t the mountaunce of a tare. 

So that I couthe don aught tojj/oure plesaunce.' 

And with that word he fel doun in a traunce 

A long tyme ; and afterward he upsterte 715 

This Palamon, that thou^/^te thurgh his herte 

He felte a cold swerd sodeynliche glyde ; 

For ire he quook, no lenger nolde he byde. 

And whan that he hadde herd Arcites tale, 

As he were wood, with face deed and pale, 720 

He sterte him up out of the bussches thikke. 

And seyde : ' Arcyte, false traitour wikke. 

Now art thou bent, that lovest my lady so, 

For whom that I have al this peyne and wo, 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 47 

And art my blood, and to my counseil sworn, 725 

As I ful ofte have told the heere byforn, 

And hast byjaped here duk Theseus, 

And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus ; 

I wol be deed, or elles thou schalt dye. 

Thou schalt not love my lady Emelye, 73c* 

But I wil love hire oonly and no mo ; 

For I am Palamon thy mortal fo. 

And though that I no wepen have in this place, 

But out of prisoun am y-stert by grace, 

I drede not that other thou schalt dye, 735 

Or thou ne schalt not loven Emelye. 

Ches which thou wilt, for thou schalt not asterte.' 

This Arcite, with ful despitous herte, 

Whan he him knew, and hadde his tale herd. 

As fers as lyoun pullede out a swerd, 740 

And seide thus : ' By God that sit above, 

Nere it that thou art sike and wood for love, 

And eek that thou no wepne hast in this place. 

Thou schuldest nevere out of this grove pace. 

That thou ne schuldest deyen of myn bond. 745 

For I defye the seurte and the bond 

Which that thou seyst I have maad to the. 

What, verray fool, think wel that love is fre ! 

And I wol love hire mawgre al thy might. 

But, for as muche thou art a worthy knight, 750 

And wilnest to dereyne hire by batayle, 

Have heer my trouthe, to morwe I nyl not fayle, 

Withouten wityng of eny other wight. 

That heer I wol be founden as a knight. 

And bryngen barneys right inough for the ; 755 

And ches the beste, and lef the worste for me. 

And mete and drynke this night wil I brynge 

Inough for the, and clothes for thy beddynge. 

And if so be that thou my lady wynne, 



4^ THE KNIQHTES TALE. 

And sle me in this woode ther I am inne, 760 

Thou maist wel han thy lady as for me.' 

This Palamon answerede : '' I graunte it the.' 

And thus they ben departed til a-morwe, 

When ech of hem hadde leyd his feith to borwe. 

O Cupide, out of alle charite ! 765 

O regne, that wolt no felawe han with the ! 
Ful soth is seyd, that love ne lordschipe 
Wol not, his thonkes, han no felaweschipe. 
Wel fynden that Arcite and Palamoun. 
Arcite is riden anon unto the toun, 770 

And on the morwe, or it were dayes light, 
Ful prively two barneys hath he dight, 
Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne 
The batayle in the feeld betwix hem tweyne. 
And on his hors, alone as he was born, 775 

He caryeth al this barneys him byforn ; 
And in the grove, at tyme and place i-set. 
This Arcite and this Palamon ben met. 
Tho chaungen gan the colour in here face. 
Right as the honter in the regne of Trace 780 

That stondeth in the gappe with a spere, 
Whan honted is the lyoun or the bere, 
And hereth him come ruschyng in the greves, 
And breketh bothe bowes and the leves, 
And thinketh, ' Here cometh my mortel enemy, . 785 

Withoute faile, he mot be deed or I ; 
For eyther I mot slen him at the gappe, 
Or he moot sleen me, if that me myshappe : * 
So ferden they, in chaungyng of here hewe, 
As fer as everich of hem other knewe. 790 

Ther nas no good day, ne no saluyng ; 
But streyt withouten wordes rehersyng, 
Everych of hem help for to armen other, 
As frendly as he were his owne brother ; 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 49 

And after that with scharpe speres stronge 7qs 

They foynen ech at other wonder longe. 

Thou myghtest wene that this Palamon 

In liis fightyng were as a wood lyoun, 

And as a cruel tygre was Arcite : 

As wilde boores gonne they to smyte, 800 

That frothen white as fome for ire wood. 

Up to the ancle foughte they in here blood. 

And in this wise I lete hem fightyng dwelle ; 

And forth I wol of Theseus jkow telle. 

The destyne, mynistre general, 80s 

That executeth in the world over-al 
The purveauns, that God hath seyn byforn ; 
So strong it is, that though the world hadde sworn 
The contrary of a thing by j^e or nay, 

2et somtyme it schal falle upon a day 810 

That falleth nought eft withinne a thousend _)/eere. 
For certeynly oure appetites heere, 
Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love, 
Al is it reuled by the sighte above. 

This mene I now by mighty Theseus, 815 

That for to honten is so desirous. 
And namely at the grete hert in May, 
That in his bedde ther daweth him no day. 
That he nys clad, and redy for to ryde 
With honte and horn, and houndes him byside. 820 

For in his hontyng hath he such delyt. 
That it is al his joye and appetyt 
To been himself the grete hertes bane. 
For after Mars he serveth now Diane. 

Cleer was the day, as I have told or this, 82s 

And Theseus, with alle joye and blys. 
With his Ypolita, the fayre queene, 
And Emelye, clothed al in greene. 
On honting be thay riden ryally. 

4 



so THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

And to the grove, that stood ful faste by, 830 

In which ther was an hert as men him tolde, 

Duk Theseus the streyte wey hath holde. 

And to tlie launde he rydeth him ful righte, 

For thider was the hert wont have his flighte, 

And over a brook, and so forth in his weye. 83s 

This duk wol have a cours at him or tweye 

With houndes, swiche as that him lust comaunde. 

And whan this duk was come unto tlie launde, 

Under the sonne he loketh, and anon 

He was war of Arcite and Palamon, 840 

That foughten breeme, as it were boores tuo ; 

The brighte swerdes wente to and fro 

So hidously, that with the leste strook 

It seemede as it wolde felle an 00k ; 

But what they were, nothing he ne woot. 84s 

This duk his courser with his spores smoot, 

And at a stert he was betwix hem tuoo. 

And pullede out a swerd and cride, ' Hoo ! 

Nomore, up peyne of leesyng of your heed. 

By mighty Mars, he schal anon be deed, 850 

That smyteth eny strook, that 1 may seen ! 

But telleth me what mester men ye been, 

That ben so hardy for to fighten heere 

Withoute jugge or other officere, 

As it were in a lystes really ? ' 855 

This Palamon answerde hastily. 

And seyde : ' Sire, what nedeth wordes mo ? 

We han the deth deserved bothe tuo. 

Tuo woful wrecches been we, and kaytyves. 

That ben encombred of oure owne lyves ; 860 

And as thou art a rightful lord and juge, 

Ne j/eve us neyther mercy ne refuge. 

And sle me first, for seynte charite ; 

But sle my felawe eek as wel as me. 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 5 1 

Or sle him first ; for, though thou knowe it lyte, 865 

This is thy mortal fo, this is Arcite, 

That fro thy lond is banyscht on his heed, 

For which he hath deserved to be deed. 

For this is he that com unto thi gate 

And seyde, that he highte Philostrate. 870 

Thus hath he japed the ful many a j/er, 

And thou hast maked him thy cheef squyer. 

And this is he that loveth Emelye. 

For sith the day is come that I schal dye, 

I make pleynly my confessioun, 87s 

That I am thilke woful Palamoun, 

That hath thy prisoun broke wikkedly. 

I am thy mortal foo, and it am I 

That loveth so hoote Emelye the brighte, 

That I wol dye present in hire sighte. sso 

Therfore I aske deeth and my juwyse ; 

But slee my felawe in the same wyse, 

For bothe han we deserved to be slayn.' 

This worthy duk answerde anon agayn, 
And seide, ' This is a schort conclusioun : 885 

Tour owne mouth, by j/our confessioun, 
Hath dampned _you^ and I wil it recorde. 
It nedeth nou^^t to pyne yow with the corde. 
.2e schul be deed by mighty Mars the reede ! ^ 
The queen anon for verray wommanhede 890 

Gan for to wepe, and so dede Emelye, 
And alle the ladies in the companye. 
Gret pite was it, as it thoughte hem alle, 
That evere such a chaunce schulde falle ; 
For gentil men thei were, of gret estate, 895 

And nothing but for love was this debate. 
And sawe here bloody woundes wyde and sore ; 
And alle cryden, bothe lesse and more, 
' Have mercy. Lord, upon us wommen alle ! ' 



52 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

And on here bare knees adoun they falle, 900 

And wolde han kist his feet ther as he stood, 

Til atte laste aslaked was his mood : 

For pite renneth sone in gentil herte. 

And though he first for ire quok and sterte, 

He hath considerd shortly in a clause, 90s 

The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause : 

And although that his ire here gylt accusede, 

2et in his resoun he hem bothe excusede ; 

And thus he thoughte wel that every man 

Wol helpe himself in love if that he can, 910 

And eek delyvere himself out of prisoun ; 

And eek his herte hadde compassioun 

Of wommen, for they wepen evere in oon ; 

And in his gentil herte he thoughte anoon. 

And softe unto himself he seyde : ' Fy gis 

Upon a lord that wol han no mercy. 

But be a lyoun bothe in word and dede, 

To hem that ben in repentaunce and drede. 

As wel as to a proud dispitous man. 

That wol maynteyne that he first bigan ! 920 

That lord hath litel of discrecioun. 

That in such caas can no divisioun ; » 

But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon.' 

And schortly, whan his ire is thus agon, 

He gan to loken up with eyen lighte, 925 

And spak these same wordes al in highte. 

' The god of love, a ! benedicite^ 

How mighty and how gret a lord is he ! 

Agayns his might ther gayneth non obstacles. 

He may be cleped a god for his miracles ; 930 

For he can maken at his owne gyse 

Of everych herte, as that him lust devyse. 

Lo her this Arcite and this Palamoun, 

That quytly weren out of my prisoun. 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 53 

And mighte han lyved in Thebes ryally, 935 

And witen I am here mortal enemy, 

And that here deth Hth in my might also, 

And jj/et hath love, maugre here ey^/^en tuo, 

I-brought hem hider bothe for to dye. 

Now loketh, is nat that an heih folye ? 940 

Who may not ben a fool, if that he love? 

Byhold for Goddes sake that sit above, 

Se how they blede ! be they nought wel arrayed ? 

Thus hath here lord, the god of love, y-payed 

Here wages and here fees for here servise. 945 

And yet they wenen for to ben ful wise 

That serven love, for ought that may bifalle. , 

But this isjKet the beste game of alle, 

That sche, for whom they han this jolitee, 

Can hem therfore as moche thank as me. 950 

Sche w^oot no more of al this hoote fare. 

By God, than wot a cuckow or an hare. 

But al moot ben assayed, hoot and cold ; 

A man moot ben a fool or jKong or old ; 

I woot it by myself ful j/ore agon : 955 

For in my tyme a servant vv^as I on. 

And therfore, syn I knowe of loves peyne, 

And wot how sore it can a man destreyne. 

As he that hath ben caught ofte in his lace, 

I you forj/eve al holly this trespace, 960 

At request of the queen that kneleth heere, 

And eek of Emelye, my suster deere. 

And ye schul bothe anon unto me swere. 

That neveremoj/e schul my corowne dere, 

Ne make werre up6n me night ne day, 965 

But ben my freendes in al that j^e may. 

I yow foiyeve this trespas every del.' 

And they him swore his axyng fayre and wel. 

And him of lordschipe and of mercy prayde, 



54 THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he sayde : 970 

' To speke of real lynage and richesse, 

Though that sche were a queen or a pryncesse, 

Ech of jv'ow bothe is worthy douteles 

To wedden when tyme is, but natheles 

I speke as for my suster Emelye, 975 

For whom ye han this stryf and jelousye, 

2e wite jvoureself sche may not wedde two 

At oones, though ye fighten evere mo : 

That oon of j/ow, al be him loth or leef, 

He mot go pypen in an ivy leef; 980 

This is to sayn, sche may nought now han bothe, 

Al be ye nevere so jelous, ne so wrothe. 

And for-thy I j^ou putte in this degre, 

That ech of jkou schal have his destyne. 

As him is schape, and herkneth in what wyse ; 985 

Lo here your ende of that I schal devyse. 

My wil is this, for plat conclusioun, 
Withouten eny repplicacioun. 
If that j^ou liketh, tak it for the beste, 
That everych of you schal gon wher him leste 990 

Frely withouten raunsoun or daungeer ; 
And this day fyfty wykes, fer ne neer, 
Everich of jkou schal brynge an hundred knightes, 
Armed for lystes up at alle rightes, 

Al redy to derayne hire by batayle. 995 

And this byhote I you withouten fayle 
Upon my trouthe, and as I am a knight, 
That whether of yow bothe that hath might. 
This is to seyn, that whether he or thou 
May with his hundred, as I spak of now, 1000 

Slen his contrarye, or out of lystes dryve, 
Thanne schal I j^even Emelye to wyve, 
To whom that fortune j^eveth so fair a grace. 
The lystes schal I maken in this place, 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 55 

And God so wisly on my sowle rewe, 1005 

As I schal evene juge ben and trewe. 

2e schul non other ende with me make, 

That oon of jkovv ne schal be deed or take. 

And if you thinketh this is wel i-sayd, 

Sayeth j/oure avys, and holdeth yow apayd. loio 

This isj^oure ende andj^oure conclusioun.' 

Who loketh lightly now but Palamoun? 

Who spryngeth up for joye but Arcite ? 

Who couthe telle, or who couthe it endite, 

The joye that is maked in the place 1015 

Whan Theseus hath don so fair a grace ? 

But down on knees wente every maner wight, 

And thanken him with al here herte and miht. 

And namely the Thebans ofte sithe. 

And thus with good hope and with herte blithe 1020 

They take here leve, and hom-ward gonne they ryde 

To Thebes with his olde walles wyde. 

I trowe men wolde deme it necligence, 
If I forj^ete to telle the dispence 

Of Theseus, that goth so busily 1025 

To maken up the lystes rially ; 
That such a noble theatre as it was, 
I dar wel sayn that in this world iher nas. 
The circuit a myle was aboute, 

Walled of stoon, and dyched al withoute. 1030 

Round was the schap, in maner of compaas, 
Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty paas. 
That whan a man was set in o degre 
He lette nought his felawe for to se. 

Est-ward ther stood a gate of marbel whit, 1035 

West-ward right such another in the opposit. 
And schortly to conclude, such a place 
Was non in erthe as in so litel space ; 
For in the lond ther nas no crafty man, 



56 THE KNIGHTES .TALE. 

That geometry or arsmetrike can, 1040 

Ne portreyour, ne kervere of ymages, 

That Theseus ne j/af hem mete and wages 

The theatre for to maken and devyse. 

And for to don his ryte and sacrifise, 

He est-ward hath upon the gate above, 1045 

In worschipe of Venu's, goddesse of love, 

Don make an auter and an oratorye ; 

And vs^est-w^ard in the mynde and in memorye 

Of Mars, he hath i-maked such another, 

That coste largely of gold a fother. 1050 

And north-ward, in a toret on the w^alle. 

Of alabaster whit and reed coralle 

An oratorye riche for to see. 

In worschipe of Dyane, of chastite. 

Hath Theseus doon wrought in noble wise. 1055 

Butjj/it hadde I foi^yeten to devyse 

The noble kervyng, and the purtreitures, 

The schap, the contenaunce and the figures, 

That weren in these oratories thre. 

First in the temple of Venus maystow se 1060 

Wrought on the wal, ful pitous to byholde, 
The broken slepes, and the sykes colde ; 
The sacred teeres, and the waymentyng ; 
The fyry strokes of the desiryng. 

That loves servauntz in this lyf enduren ; 1065 

The othes, that here covenantz assuren. 
Plesance and hope, desyr, fool-hardynesse, 
Beaute andj/outhe, baudery and richesse, 
Charmes and force, lesynges and flaterye. 
Dispense, busynesse, and jelousye, 1070 

That werede of yelwe guides a gerland. 
And a cukkow sittyng on hire hand ; 
Festes, instrumentz, carols, and daunces, 
Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 57 

Of love, which that I rekned have and schal, 107s 

By ordre weren peynted on the wal. 

And mo than I can make, of mencioun. 

For sothly al the mount of Citheroun, 

Ther Venus hath hire principal dwellyng, 

Was schewed on the wal in portraying, 1080 

With al the gardyn, and the lustynesse. 

Nought was for_yete the porter Ydelnesse, 

Ne Narcisus the fayre of yore agon, 

Nej^et the folye of kyng Salamon, 

Ne eek the grete strengthe of Hercules, loSs 

Thenchauntementz of Medea and Circes, 

Ne of Turnus with the hardy fiers corage. 

The riche Cresus caytif in servage. 

Thus mayjKe seen that wisdom ne richesse, 

Beaute ne sleighte, strengthe, ne hardynesse, 1090 

Ne may with Venus holde champartye, 

For as hire lust the world than may sche gye, 

Lo, alle thise folk i-caught were in hire las. 

Til they for wo ful often sayde alias. 

Sufficeth heere ensamples oon or tuo, 1095 

And though I couthe rekne a thousend mo. 

The statu of Venus, glorious for to see. 

Was naked fletyng in the large see, 

And fro the navel doun al covered was 

With wawes grene, and brighte as eny glas. noo 

A citole in hire right hond hadde sche. 

And on hire heed, ful semely for to see, 

A rose garland fresch and wel smellyng. 

Above hire heed hire dowves flikeryng. 

Biforn hire stood hire sone Cupido, 1105 

Upon his schuldres wynges hadde he tuo ; 

And blynd he was, as it is often seene ; 

A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene. 

Why schulde I nought as wel eek telle you alle 



58 THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

The portraiture, that was upon the walle mo 

Withinne the temple of mighty Mars the reede ? 

Al peynted was the wal in lengthe and breede 

Lik to the estres of the grisly place, 

That highte the grete temple of Mars in Trace, 

In thilke colde frosty regioun, 1115 

Ther as Mars hath his sovereyn mancioun. 

First on the wal was peynted a forest,- 

In which ther dwelleth neyther man ne best, 

With knotty knarry bareyn trees olde 

Of stubbes scharpe and hidous to byholde ; 1120 

In which ther ran a swymbel in a swough. 

As though a storm schulde bersten every bough : 

And downward on an hil under a bente, 

Ther stood the temple of Marz armypotente, 

Wrought al of burned steel, of which thentre 1125 

Was long and streyt, and gastly for to see. 

And therout cam a rage and such a vese, 

That it made al the gates for to rese. 

The northen light in at the dores schon, 

For wyndowe on the wal ne was ther noon, 1130 

Thurgh which men mighten any light discerne. 

The dores were alle of ademaunrz eterne, 

I-clenched overthwart and endelong 

With iren tough ; and, for to make it strong, 

Every piler the temple to susteene "ss 

Was tonne greet, of iren bright and schene. 

Ther saugh I first the derke ymaginyng 

Of feloyne, and al the compassyng ; 

The cruel ire, as reed as eny gleede ; 

The pikepurs, and eek the pale drede ; 114a 

The smyler with the knyf under his cloke ; 

The schepne brennyng with the blake smoke ; 

The tresoun of the murtheryng in the bed ; 

The open werre, with woundes al bi-bled ; 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 59 

Contek with bloody knyf, and scharp manace. 1145 

Al ful of chirkyng was that sory place. 
The sleere of himself jet saugh I there, 
His herte-blood hath bathed al his here ; 
The nayl y-dryven in the schode a-nyght ; 
The colde deth, with mouth gapyng upright. 1150 

Amyddes of the temple sat meschaunce, 
With disconfort and sory contenaunce. 
2et saugh I woodnesse laughying in his rage ; 
Armed complaint, outhees, and fiers outrage. 
The caroigne in the bussh, with throte y-corve : 1155 

A thousand slain, and not of qualme y-storve ; 
The tiraunt, with the prey by force y-raft ; 
The toun destroied, ther was no thyng laft. 
Tet sawgh I brent the schippes hoppesteres ; 
The hunte strangled with the wilde beres : "60 

The sowe freten the child right in the cradel ; 
The cook i-skalded, for al his longe ladel. 
Nought was forjKeten by the infortune of Marte ; 
The cartere over-ryden with his carte. 
Under the whel ful lowe he lay adoun. "65 

Ther were also of Martz divisioun, 
The harbour, and the bocher, and the smyth, 
That forgeth scharpe swerdes on his stith. 
And al above depeynted in a tour 

Saw I conquest sittyng in gret honour, 1170 

With the scharpe swerd over his heed 
Hangynge by a sotil twyne threed. 
Depeynted was the slaughtre of Julius. 
Of grete Nero, and of Anthonius ; 

Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn, 1175 

2et was here deth depeynted ther byforn. 
By manasyng of Mars, right by figure. 
So was it schewed in that purtreiture 
As is depeynted in the sterres above. 



6o THE KNIGETES TALE. 

Who schal be slayn or elles deed for love. nSo 

Sufficeth ooii ensample in stories olde, 

I may not rekne hem alle, though I wolde. 

The statue of Mars upon a carte stood, 
Armed, and lokede grym as he were wood ; 
And over his heed ther schynen two figures 1185 

Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures. 
That oon Puella, that other Rubeus. 
This god of amies was arayed thus : — 
A wolf ther stood byforn him at his feet 
With eyen reede, and of a man he eet ; 1190 

With sotyl pencel depeynted was this storie, 
In redoutyng of Mars and of his glorie. 

Now to the temple of Dyane the chaste 
As schortly as I can I wol me haste, 

To telle jyou al the descripcioun. uqs 

Depeynted ben the walles up and down, 
Of huntyng and of schamefast chastite. 
•Ther saugh I how woful Calystope, 
Whan that Dyane agreved was with here, 
Was turned from a womman to a here, 1200 

And after was sche maad the loode-sterre ; 
Thus was it peynted, I can say no ferre ; 
Hire sone is eek a sterre, as men may see. 
Ther sawgh I Dane yturned til a tree, 
I mene nou^>^t the goddesse Dyane, 1205 

But Peneus dou^/^ter, w^hich that highte Dane, 
Ther saugh I Atheon an hert i-maked, 
For vengeaunce that he saugh Dyane al naked ; 
I saugh how that his houndes han him caught, 
And freten him, for that they knewe him naught. 121G 
Tit peynted was a litel forthermoor, 
How Atthalaunte huntede the wilde boor, 
And Meleagre, and many another mo. 
For which Dyane wroughte hem care and woo. 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 6l 

Ther saugh I many another wonder storye, 1215 

The whiche ine list not drawe to memorye. 

This goddesse on an hert ful hyhe seet, 

With smale houndes al aboute hire feet, 

And iindernethe hire feet sche hadde a moone, 

Wexyng it was, and schulde wane soone. 1220 

In gaude greene hire statue clothed was, 

With bowe in honde, and arwes in a cas. 

Hir ey^'/ien caste sch| ful lowe adoun, 

Ther Pluto hath his derke regioun. 

. . . . . . 1225 



Wei couthe he peynte lyfly that it wrou^/^te, 

With many a floren he the hewes boughte. 1230 

Now been thise listes maad, and Theseus 
That at his grete cost arayede thus 
The temples and the theatre every del. 
Whan it was don, hym likede wonder wel. 
But stynte I wil of Theseus a lite, 1235 

And speke of Palamon and of Arcite. 

The day approcheth of here retournynge, 
That everych schulde an hundred kni^/^tes brynge, 
The bataille to derreyne, as I jkou tolde ; 
And til Athenes, here covenant to holde, 1240 

Hath everych of hem brought an hundred knightes 
Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes. 
And sikerly ther trowede many a man 
That nevere, siththen that the world bigan, 
As for to speke of knighthod of here bond, 1245 

As fer as God hath maked see or lond, 
Nas, of so fewe, so noble a companye. 
For every wight that lovede chyvalrye, 
And wolde, his thankes, have a passant name, 



62 THE KNIGHTES TALK. 

Hath preyed that he mighte ben of that game ; 1250 

And wel was him, that therto chosen was. 

For if ther felle to morwe such a caas, 

Tq knowen wel, that every lusty knight. 

That loveth paramours, and hath his might. 

Were it in Engelond, or elleswhere, 1255 

They wolde, here thankes, wilne to be there. 

To fighte for a lady ; benedicite ! 

It were a lusty sighte for to see. 

And right so ferden they with Palamon. 

With him ther wente knyghtes many oon ; 1260 

Som wol ben armed in an habergoun. 

In a brest-plat and in a light gypoun ; 

And somme woln have a peyre plates large ; 

And somme woln have a Pruce scheld, or a targe ; 

Somme woln been armed on here legges weel, 1265 

And have an ax, and somme a mace of steel. 

Ther nys no newe gyse, that it nas old. 

Armed were they, as I have you told, 

Everich after his opinioun. 

Ther* maistow sen comyng with Palamoun 1270 

Ligurge himself, the grete kyng of Trace ; 
Blak was his herd, and manly was his face. 
The cercles of his eyen in his heed 
They gloweden bytwixe yelwe and reed ; 
And lik a griffoun lokede he aboute, 1275 

With kempe heres on his browes stowte ; 
His lymes greete, his brawnes harde and stronge, 
His schuldres broode, his armes rounde and longe. 
And as the gyse was in his coritre, 

Ful heye upon a char of gold stood he, 1280 

With foure white boles in the trays. 
Instede of cote armure over his harnays. 
With naylesj^elwe, and brighte as eny gold, 
He hadde a beres skyn, col-blak, for-old. 



THE KNIOHTES TALE. 63 

His longe heer was kembd byhynde his bak, 128s 

As eny ravens fether it schon for-blak. 

A wrethe of gold arm-gret, of huge wighte, 

Upon his heed, set ful of stoones brighte, 

Of fvne rubies and of dyamauntz. 

Aboute his char ther wenten white alauntz, 1290 

Twenty and mo, as grete as eny steer, 

To hunten at the lyoun or the deer, 

And folwede him, with mosel faste i-bounde, 

Colers of golde, and torettz fyled rounde. 

An hundred lordes hadde he in his route 1295 

Armed ful wel, with hertes sterne and stoute. 

With Arcita, in stories as men fynde. 
The grete Emetreus, the kyng of Ynde, 
Uppon a steede bay, trapped in steel. 

Covered with cloth of gold dyapred wel, 1300 

[C^m rydyng lyk the god of armes. Mars. 
His coote armure was of cloth of Tars, 
Cowched with perles wKyte and rounde and grete. 
His sadel was of brend gold newe ybete ; 
A mantelet upon his schuldre hangyng 1305 

Bret-ful of rubies reede, as fir sparclyng. 
His crispe heer lik rynges was i-ronne, 
And that was j/elwe, and gliteryng as the sonne. 
His nose was heigh, his eyen bright cytryn. 
His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn, 1310 

A fewe freknes in his face y-spreynd, 
Betwixe j/elwe and somdel blak y-meynd, 
And as a lyoun he his lokyng caste. 
Of fyve and twenty yeQY his age I caste. 
His berd was wel bygonne for to sprynge ; 1315 

His voys was as a trumpe thunderynge. 
Upon his heed he werede of laurer grene 
A garlond freisch and lusty for to sene. 
Upon his bond he bar for his deduyt 



64 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

An egle tame, as eny lylie whyt. 1320 

An hundred lordes hadde he with him ther, 

Al armed saiif here hedes in here ger, 

Ful richely in alle maner thinges. 

For trusteth wel, that dukes, erles, kynges. 

Were gadred in this noble companye, 1325 

For love, and for encres of chivalrye. 

Aboute this kyng ther ran on every part 

Ful many a tame lyoun and lepart. 

And in this wise thise lordes alle and some 

Been on the Sonday to the cite come 1330 

Aboute prime, and in the toun alight. 

This Theseus, this duk, this worthy knight, 

Whan he hadde brought hem into his cite, 

And ynned hem, everich at his degre 

He festeth hem, and doth so gret labour 133s 

To esen hem, and don hem al honour, 

That j^it men wene that no mannes wyt 

Of non estat ne cowde amenden it. 

The mynstralcye, the servyce at the feste. 

The grete j^iftes to the moste and leste, 1340 

The riche aray of Theseus paleys, 

Ne who sat first ne last upon the deys. 

What ladies fayrest ben or best daunsynge, 

Or which of hem can daunce best and singe, 

Ne who most felyngly speketh of love ; 134s 

What haukes sitten on the perche above, 

What houndes liggen on the floor adoun : 

Of al this make I now no mencioun. 

But of theffect ; that thinketh me the beste ; 

Now comth the poynt, and herkneth if you leste. 1350 

The Sonday night, or day bigan to springe. 
When Palamon the larke herde synge, 
Although it nere nought day by houres tuo, 
T\i sang the larke, and Palamon also 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 65 

With holy herte, and with an heili corage 135s 

He roos, to wenden on his pilgrymage 

Unto the blisful Citherea benigne, 

I mene Venus, honorable and digne. 

And in hire hour he walketh forth a paas 

Unto the lystes, ther hire temple was, 1360 

And doun he kneleth, and, with humble cheere 

And herte sore, he seide as jj/e schul heere. 

' Faireste of faire, O lady myn Venus, 
Poughter of Jove, and spouse to Vulcanus, 
Thou gladere of the mount of Citheroun, 1365 

For thilke love thou haddest to Adeoun 
Have pite of my bittre teeres smerte, 
And tak myn humble prayere to thin herte. 
Alias ! I ne have no langage to telle 

Theffectes ne the tormentz of myn helle ; 1370 

Myn herte may myn harmes nat bewreye ; 
I am so confus, that I can not seye. 
But mercy, lady brighte, that knowest wele 
My thought, and seest what harmes that I fele, 
Considre al this, and rewe upon my sore, 137s 

As wisly as I schal for evermore, 
Emforth my might, thi trewe servaunt be, 
And holden werre alw^ay with chastite ; 
That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe. 
I kepe nat of armes for to ^elpe. 1380 

Ne I ne aske nat to-morwe to have victorie, 
Ne renoun in this caas, ne veyne glorie 
Of pris of armes, blowen up and doun. 
But I wolde have fully possessioun 

Of Emelye, and dye in thi servise ; 1385 

Fynd thou the maner how, and in what wyse 
I recche nat, but it may better be. 
To have victorie of him, or he of me, 
So that I have my lady in myn armes. 

5 



66 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

For though so be that Mars is god of armes, ijgo 

loure vertu is so gret in heven above, 

That if you list I schal wel han my love. 

Thy temple wol I w^orschipe everemo, 

And on thin auter, w^her I ryde or go, 

I v^ol don sacrifice, and fyres beete. 1395 

And if ye vs^ol nat so, my lady sweete. 

Than praye I the, to morwe with a spere 

That Arcita me thurgh the herte bere. 

Thanne rekke I nat, whan I have lost my lyf, 

Though that Arcite wynne hire to his wyf. 1400 

This is theffect and ende of my prayere, 

T\^ me my love, thou blisful lady deere.' 

Whan thorisoun was doon of Palamon, 

His sacrifice he dede, and that anoon 

Ful pitously, w^ith alle circumstances, 1405 

Al telle I nat as now his observances. 

But atte laste the statu of Venus schook, 

And made a signe, wherby that he took 

That his prayere accepted was that day. 

For though the signe schewede a delay, 1410 

let wiste he wel that graunted was his boone ; 

And with glad herte he wente him horn ful soone. 

The thridde hour inequal that Palamon 
Bigan to Venus temple for to goon. 

Up roos the sonne, and up roos Emelye, 1415 

And to the temple of Diane gan sche hye. 
Hire maydens, that sche thider with hire ladde, 
Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde, 
Thencens, the clothes, and the remenant al 
That to the sacrifice longen schal ; «42o 

The homes fulle of meth, as was the gyse ; 
Ther lakkede nou^>^t to don hire sacrifise. 
Smokyng the temple, ful of clothes faire, 
This Emelye with herte debonaire 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 67 

Hire body wessch with water of a welle ; 1425 

But how sche dide hire rite I dar nat telle, 

But it be eny thing in general ; 

And _yet it were a game to heren al ; 

To liim that meneth wel it were no charge : 

But it is good a man be at his large. 1430 

Hire brighte heer was kempt, untressed al ; 

A corone of a grene ok cerial 

Upon hire heed was set ful faire and meete. 

Tuo fyres on the auter gan sche beete. 

And dide hire thinges, as men may biholde 1435 

In Stace of Thebes, and thise bokes olde. 

Whan kynled was the fyr, with pitous cheere 

Unto Dyane sche spak, asj^e may heere. 

' O chaste goddesse of the woodes greene, 
To whom bothe heven and erthe and see is seene, 1440 
Queen of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe, 
Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe 
Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire, 
As keep me fro thi vengeaunce and thin yre, 
That Atheon aboughte trewely : 1445 

Chaste goddesse, wel wost thou that I 
Desire to ben a mayden al my lyf, 
Ne nevere wol I be no love ne wyf. 
I am, thou wost, y\t of thi companye, 
A mayde, and love huntyng and venerye, 1450 

And for to walken in the woodes wylde, 



Now help me, lady, syth jj/e may and kan. 

For the thre formes that thou hast in the. 1455 

And Palamon, that hath such love to me, 

And eek Arcite, that loveth me so sore, 

This grace I praye the w^ithouten more. 

As sende love and pees betwixe hem two ; 



68 THE KNI0HTE8 TALE. 

And fro me torne awey here hertes so, 1460 

That al here hoote love, and here desir, 
And al here bisy torment, and here fyr 
Be queynt, or turned in another place ; 
And if so be thou wolt do me no grace, 
Or if my destyne be schapen so, 1465 

That I schal needes have on of hem two. 
As sende me him that most desireth me. 
Bihold, goddesse of clene chastite, 
The bittre teeres that on my cheekes falle. 
Syn thou art mayde, and kepere of us alle, 1470 

My maydenhode thou kepe and wel conserve, 
And wh\\ I lyve a mayde I w^il the serve.' 
The fyres brenne upon the auter cleere, 
Whil Emelye was thus in hire preyere ; 
But sodeinly sche saugh a sighte queynte, 1475 

For right anon on of the fyres queynte, 
And quykede agayn, and after that anon 
That other fyr was queynt, and al agon ; 
And as it queynte, it made a w^histelyng, 
As doth a wete brond in his brennyng. 1480 

And at the brondes ende out-ran anoon 
As it were bloody dropes many oon ; 
For which so sore agast was Emelye, 
That sche was wel neih mad, and gan to crie. 
For sche ne wiste what it signifyede ; 1485 

But oonly for the feere thus sche cryede 
And wep, that it was pite for to heere. 
And therwithal Dyane gan appeere. 
With bowe in bond, right as an hunteresse, 
And seyde : ' Doughter, stynt thyn hevynesse. 1490 

Among the goddes hye it is affermed, 
And by eterne word write and confermed, 
Thou schalt ben wedded unto oon of tho 
That han for the so moche care and wo ; 



THE KNIOHTES TALE. 69 

But unto which of hem I may nat telle. 1495 

Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle. 

The fyres which that on myn auter brenne 

Schuln the declaren, or that thou go henne, 

Thyn aventure of love, as in this caas.' 

And with that word, the arwes in the caas /500 

Of the goddesse clatren faste and rynge, 

And forth sche wente, and made a vanysschynge, 

For which this Emelye astoneyd was. 

And seide, ' What amounteth this, alias ! 

I putte me in thy proteccioun, 1505 

Dyane, and in thi disposicioun/ 

And hoom sche goth anon the nexte waye. 

This is thefFect, ther nys no more to saye. 

The nexte houre of Mars folwynge this, 
Arcite unto the temple walked is 1510 

Of fierse Mars, to doon his sacrifise. 
With alle the rites of his payen wise. 
With pitous herte and heih devocioun, 
Right thus to Mars he sayde his orisoun : 
' O stronge god, that in the regnes colde 1515 

Of Trace honoured art and lord y-holde, 
And hast in every regne and every londe 
Of armes al the bridel in thyn honde, 
And hem fortunest as the lust devyse, 
Accept of me my pitous sacrifise. 1520 

If so be that my jKouthe may deserve. 
And that my might be worthi for to serve 
Thy godhede that I may ben on of thine, 
Then praye I the to rewe upon my pyne. 

1525 



70 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 



1530 



For thilke sorwe that was in thin herte, 

Have reuthe as wel upon my peynes smerte. 

I am jKong and unkonnyng, as thou wost, 1535 

And, as I trowe, with love offended most, 

That evere was eny lyves creature ; 

For sche, that doth me al this wo endure, 

Ne rekketh nevere wher I synke or fleete. 

And wel I woot, or sche me mercy heete, 1540 

I moot with strengthe w^ynne hire in the place ; 

And wel I wot, withouten help or grace 

Of the, ne may my strengthe noughte avayle. 

Then help me, lord, to-morwe in my batayle. 

For thilke fyr that whilom brente the, 1545 

As wel as thilke fir now brenneth me ; 

And do that I to-morwe have victorie. 

Myn be the travaile, and thin be the glorie. 

Thy soverein temple wol I most honouren 

Of any place, and alway most labouren 1550 

In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge. 

And in thy temple I wol my baner honge. 

And alle the armes of my companye ; 

And evermore, unto that day I dye, 

Eterne fyr I wol biforn the fynde. 1555 

And eek to this avow I wol me bynde : 

My berd, myn heer that hangeth longe adoun, 

That nevere j^it ne felte offensioun 

Of rasour ne of schere, I wol the j/ive. 

And be thy trewe servaunt whil I lyve. 1560 

Now lord, have rowthe uppon my sorwes sore, 

T'li me the victorie, I aske the no more.' 

The prey ere stynte of Arcita the stronge, 
The rynges on the temple dore that honge, 



TEE KNIGHTES TALE. 7 1 

iVnd eek the dores, clatereden ful faste, 1565 

Of which Arcita somwhat hym agaste. 

The fyres brende upon the auter brighte, 

That it gan al the temple for to Hghte ; 

And swote smel the ground anon up_yaf, 

And Arcita anon his hand up-haf, 1570 

And more encens into the fyr he caste, 

With othre rites mo ; and atte laste 

The statu of Mars bigan his hauberk rynge. 

And with that soun he herde a murmurynge 

Ful lowe and dym, that sayde thus, ' Victorie.' 1575 

For which he j^af to Mars honour and glorie. 

And thus with joye, and hope wel to fare, 

Arcite anoon unto his inne is fare, 

As fayn as foul is of the brighte sonne. 

And right anon such stryf ther is bygonne isSo 

For thilke grauntyng, in the heven above, 

Bitwixe Venus the goddesse of love. 

And Mars the sterne god armypotente. 

That Jupiter was busy it to stente ; 

Til that the pale Saturnus the colde, 158s 

That knew so manye of aventures olde, 

Fond in his olde experiens an art. 

That he ful sone hath plesed every part. 

As soth is sayd, eelde hath gret avantage. 

In eelde is bothe wisdom and usage ; 1590 

Men may the olde at-renne, but nat at-rede. 

Saturne anon, to stynte stryf and drede, 

Al be it that it is agayns his kynde. 

Of al this stryf he gan remedy fynde. 

' My deere dou^/2ter Venus,' quod Saturne, 1595 

' My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne. 

Hath more power than woot eny man. 

Myn is the drenchyng in the see so wan ; 

Myn is the prisoun in the derke cote ; 



72 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

Myn is the strangle and hangyng by the throte ; 1600 

The murmure, and the cherles rebellyng. 

The groyning, and the pryve empoysonyng ; 

I do vengeance and pleyn correctioun, 

Whiles I dwelle in signe of the lyoun. 

Myn is the ruyne of the hihe halles, 1605 

The fallyng of the toures and the walles 

Upon the mynour or the carpenter. 

I slowh Sampsoun in schakyng the piler. 

And myne ben the maladies colde, 

The derke tresoun, and the castes olde ; i6io 

Myn lokyng is the fader of pestilence. 

Now wep nomore, I schal don diligence 

That Palamon, that is thyn owne knight, 

Schal have his lady, as thou hast him hight. 

Though Mars schal helpe his knight, yet natheles i6is 

Bitwixe yon ther moot som tyme be pees, 

Al be j>'e nought of 00 complexioun. 

That causeth al day such divisioun. 

I am thi ayel, redy at thy wille ; 

Wep thou nomore, I wol thi lust fulfille.* 1620 

Now wol I stynten of the goddes above, 

Of Mars, and of Venus goddesse of love, 

And telle you^ as pleinly as I can. 

The grete effect for which that I bigan. 

Gret was the feste in Athenes that day, 1625 

And eek the lusty sesoun of that May 
Made every wight to ben in such plesaunce, 
That al that Monday jousten they and daunce. 
And spenden hit in Venus heigh servise. 
But by the cause that they schulde arise 1630 

Erly for to seen the grete fight, 
Unto their reste wente they at nyght. 
And on the morwe whan that day gan sprynge, 
Of hors and herneys noyse and claterynge 



TEE KNIGHTES TALE. 7S 

Ther was in the hostelryes al aboute ; 1635 

And to the paleys rood ther many a route 

Of lordes, upon steedes and palfreys. 

Ther mayst thou seen devysyng of herneys 

So uncowth and so riche, and wrought so wel 

Of goldsmithry, of browdyng, and of steel ; 1640 

The scheldes brighte, testers, and trappures ; 

Gold-beten helmes, hauberkes, cote-armures ; 

Lordes in paramentz on here courseres, 

Knightes of retenu, and eek squyeres 

Naylyng the speres, and helmes bokelyng, 1645 

Giggyng of scheeldes, with layneres lasyng ; 

Ther as, need is, they were nothing ydel ; 

The fomy steedes on the golden bridel 

Gnawyng, and faste the armurers also 

With fyle and hamer prikyng to and fro : 1650 

Yemen on foote, and communes many oon 

With schorte staves, thikke as they may goon ; 

Pypes, trompes, nakers, and clariounes. 

That in the batai'^* blowe bloody sownes ; 

The paleys ful of peples up and doun, 1655 

Heer thre, ther ten, holdyng here questioun, 

Dyvynyng of thise Thebane knightes two. 

Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it schal be so ; 

Somme heelde with him with the blake berd, 

Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke herd ; 1660 

Somme sayde he lokede grym and he wolde fighte ; 

He hath a sparth of twenti pound of wighte. 

Thus was the halle ful of devynynge, 

Longe after that the sonne gan to springe. 

The grete Theseus that of his sleep awaked 1665 

With menstralcye and noyse that was maked, 

Held j/it the cha-mbre of his paleys riche, 

Til that the Thebane knyghtes bothe i-liche 

Honoured weren into the paleys fet. 



74 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

Duk Theseus was at a wyndow set, 1670 

Arayed right as he were a god in trone. 

The peple preseth thider-ward ful sone 

Him for to seen, and doon heigh reverence. 

And eek to herkne his hest and his sentence. 

An herowd on a skaftbld made an hoo, 1675 

Til al the noyse of the peple was i-doo ; 

And whan he sawh the peple of noyse al stille, 

Tho schewede he the mighty dukes wille. 

' The lord hath of his heih discrecioun 
Considered, that it were destruccioun 1680 

To gentil blood, to fighten in the gyse 
Of mortal bataille now in this emprise ; 
Wherfore to schapen that they schuln not dye. 
He wol his firste purpos modifye. 

No man therfore, up peyne of los of lyf, 1685 

No maner schot, ne pollax, ne schort knyf 
Into the lystes sende, or thider brynge ; 
Ne schort swerd for to stoke, with point bytynge, 
No man ne drawe, ne bere by his side. 
Ne noman schal unto his felawe rj'de 1690 

But oon cours, with a scharpe ygrounde spere ; 
Foyne if him lust on foote, himself to were. 
And he that is at meschief, schal be take, 
And nat slayn, but be brought unto the stake. 
That schal ben ordeyned on eyther syde ; 1695 

But thider he schal by force, and ther abyde. . 
And if so falle, the cheventein be take 
On eyther side, or elles sle his make, 
No lenger schal the turneynge laste. 

God spede jvou ; go forth and ley on fasle. 1700 

With long swerd and with mace fi^kt your filie. 
Goth now jKoure way ; this is the lordes wille.' 

The voice of peple touchede the heven, 
So lowde cride thei with mery Steven : 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 75 

' God save such a lord that is so good, 1705 

He wilneth no destruccioun of blood ! ' 

Up gon the trompes and the melodye. 

And to the lystes ryt the companye 

By ordynaunce, thiirghout the cite large, 

Hangyng with cloth of gold, and not with sarge. 1710 

Ful lik a lord this noble duk gan ryde, 

These tuo Thebanes upon eyther side ; 

And after rood the queen, and Emelye, 

And after that another companye, 

Of oon and other after here degre. 171s 

And thus they passen thurghout the cite, 

And to the lystes come thei by tyme. 

It nas not of the day yet fully pryme. 

Whan set vv^as Theseus ful riche and hye, 

Ypolita the queen and Emelye, 1720 

And other ladyes in degrees aboute. 

Unto the seetes preseth al the route ; 

And west-ward, thurgh theJ^/ates under Marte, 

Arcite, and eek the hundred of his parte. 

With baner red ys entred right anoon ; 1725 

And in that selve moment Palamon 

Is under Venus, est-ward in that place, 

With baner whyt, and hardy cheere and face. 

In al the world, to seeken up and doun, 
So evene withouten variacioun, 1730 

Ther nere suche companyes tweye. 
For ther nas noon so wys that cowthe seye, 
That any hadde of other avauntage 
Of worthinesse, ne of estaat, ne age. 

So evene were they chosen for to gesse. 1735 

And in two renges faire they hem dresse. 
And whan here names rad were everychon. 
That in here nombre gile were ther noon, 
The were the ^ates schet, and cried was lowde : 



76 THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

' Doth now jKour devoir, jj/onge knightes proude ! ' 1740 

The heraldz lafte here prikyng up and doun ; 

Now ryngen trompes loude and clarioun ; 

Ther is nomore to sayn, but west and est 

In gon the speres ful sadly in arest ; 

In goth the^scharpe spore into the side. 1745 

Ther seen men who can juste, and who can ryde ; 

Ther schyveren schaftes upon scheeldes thykke ; 

He feeleth thurgh the herte-spon the prikke. 

Up springen speres twenty foot on highte ; 

Out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte. 1750 

The helmes thei to-hewen and to-schrede ; 

Out brest the blood, with sterne stremes reede. 

With mighty maces the bones thay to-breste. 

He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste. 

Ther stomblen steedes stronge, and doun goon alle. 1755 

He rolleth under foot as doth a balle. 

He foyneth on his feet with a tronchoun, 

And he him hurtleth with his hors adoun. 

He thurgh the body is hurt, and siththen take 

Maugre his heed, and brou^^t unto the stake, 1760 

As forward was, right ther he moste abyde. 

Another lad is on that other syde. 

And som tyme doth hem Theseus to reste. 

Hem to refreissche, and drinken if hem leste. 

Ful ofte a-day han thise Thebanes twoo 1765 

Togidre y-met, and wrought his felawe woo ; 

Unhorsed hath ech other of hem tweye. 

Ther nas no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye, 

Whan that hire whelpe is stole, whan it is lite, 

So cruel on the hunte, as is Arcite 1770 

For jelous herte upon this Palamon : 

Ne in Belmarye ther nis so fel lyoun, 

That hunted is, or for his hunger wood, 

Ne of his prey desireth so the blood, 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 77 

As Palamon to slen his foo Arcite. 177s 

The jelous strokes on here hehnes byte ; 

Out renneth blood on bothe here sides reede. 

Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede ; 

For er the sonne unto the reste wente, 

The stronge kyng Emetreus gan hente 1780 

This Palamon, as he faught with Arcite, 

And made his swerd depe in his fleissch to byte ; 

And by the force of twenti is he take 

Unyolden, and i-drawe unto the stake. 

And in the rescous of this Palamon 1785 

The stronge kyng Ligurge is born adoun ; 

And kyng Emetreus for al his strengthe 

Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe. 

So hitte him Palamon er he were take ; 

But al for nought, he was brought to the stake. 1790 

His hardy herte mighte him helpe nought ; 

He moste abyde whan that he was caught. 

By force, and eek by composicioun. 

Who sorweth now but woful Palamoun, 

That moot nomore gon agayn to fighte? 1795 

And whan that Theseus hadde seen this sighte, 

Unto the folk that foughten thus echon 

He cryde, ' Hoo ! nomore, for it is doon ! 

I wol be trewe juge, and noug'ht partye. 

Arcyte of Thebes schal have Emelye, 1800 

That by his fortune hath hire faire i-wonne.' 

Anoon ther is a noyse of people bygonne 

For joye of this, so lowde and heye withalle. 

It semede that the listes scholde falle. 

What can now fayre Venus doon above ? 1805 

What seith sche now ? what doth this queen of love ? 
But wepeth so, for wantyng of hire wille. 
Til that hire teeres in the lystes fille ; 
Sche seyde : ' I am aschamed douteles.' 



78 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

Saturnus seyde : ' Dou^^ter, hold thy pees. iSio 

Mars hath his wille, his knight hath al his boone, 

And by myn heed thou schalt ben esed soone.' 

The trompes with the lowde mynstralcye, 

The herawdes, that ful lowde j/oUe and crye, 

Been in here wele for joye of daun Arcyte. 1815 

But herkneth me, and stynteth now a lite, 

Which a miracle ther bifel anoon. 

This fierse Arcyte hath of his helm ydoon, 

And on a courser for to schewe his face, 

He priketh endelonge the large place, 1820 

Lokyng upward upon his Emelye ; 

And sche agayn him caste a frendlych eyg-ke^ 

(For wommen, as to speken in comune, 

Thav folwen al the favour of fortune) 

And sche was al his cheere, as in his herte. 1825 

Out of the ground a fyr infernal sterte, 

From Pluto sent, at request of Saturne, 

For which his hors for feere gan to turne, 

And leep asyde, and foundrede as he leep ; 

And or that Arcyte may taken keep, 1830 

He pighte him on the pomel of his heed, 

That in the place he lay as he were deed, 

His brest to-brosten with his sadel-bowe. 

As blak he lay as eny col or crowe, 

So was the blood y-ronnen in his face. 1835 

Anon he was y-born out of the place 

With herte soor, to Theseus paleys. 

Tho was he corven out of his barneys, 

And in a bed y-brought ful faire and blyve. 

For he was y'lt in memory and on lyve, 1840 

And alway crying after Emelye. 

Duk Theseus, with all his compan3^e, 

Is comen hom to Athenes his cite, 

With alle blysse and gret solempnite. 



THE KNIOHTES TAlE. 79 

Al be it that this aventure was falle, 1845 

He nolde nought disconforten hem alle. 

Men seyde eek, that Arcita schal nought dye, 

He schal ben heled of his maladye. 

And of another thing they were as fayn, 

That of hem alle was ther noon y-slayn, 1850 

Al were they sore hurt, and namely oon, 

That with a spere was thirled his brest boon. 

To othre woundes, and to broken armes. 

Some hadde salves, and some hadde charmes, 

Fermacyes of herbes, and eek save 1855 

They dronken, for they wolde here lymes have. 

For which this noble duk, as he wel can, 

Conforteth and honoureth every man. 

And made revel al the longe night, 

Unto the straunge lordes, as was right. i860 

Ne ther was holden no disconfytyng, 

But as a justes or a turneying ; 

For sothly ther was no disconfiture, 

For fallynge nis not but an aventure ; 

Ne to be lad with fors unto the stake 1865 

Unyolden, and with twenty knightes take, 

O persone allone, withouten moo, 

And haried forth by arme, foot, and too. 

And eek his steede dryven forth with staves. 

With footmen, bothe jj/emen and eek knaves, 1870 

It nas aretted him no vyleinye, 

Ther may no man clepe it no cowardye. 

For which anon Duk Theseus leet crie, 
To stynten alle rancour and envye. 

The ^ree as wel of o syde as of other, 1875 

And either side ylik as otheres brother ; 
And j/af hem j/iftes after here degre. 
And fully heeld a feste dayes thre ; 
And conveyede the kynges worthily 



8o THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

Out of his toun a journee largely. 1880 

And horn wente every man the righte way. 
Ther was no more, but ' Farwel, have good day !' 
Of this bataylle I wol no more endite, 
^ut speke of Palamon and of Arcyte. 

Swelleth the brest of Arcyte, and the sore 1885 

Encresceth at his herte more and more. 
The clothred blood, for eny leche-craft, 
Corrumpeth, and is in his bouk i-laft. 
That nother ve5'^ne blood, ne ventusyng, 
Ne drynke of herbes may ben his helpyng. 1890 

The vertu expulsif, or animal. 
Fro thilke vertu cleped natural, 
Ne may the venym voyde, ne expelle. 
The pypes of his longes gan to swelle. 
And every lacerte in his brest adoun 1895 

Is schent v^ith venym and corrupcioun. 
Him gayneth nother, for to gete his lyf, 
Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif ; 
Al is to-brosten thilke regioun. 

Nature hath now no dominacioun, i9c» 

And certeynly ther nature wil not wirche, 
Farwel phisik ; go ber the man to chirche. 
This al and som, that Arcyta moot dye. 
For which he sendeth after Emelye, 

And Palamon, that was his cosyn deere. 1905 

Than seyde he thus, as j^e schul after heere. 

' Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte 
Declare a poynt of alle my sorwes smerte 
To you^ my lady, that I love most ; 

But I byquethe the service of my gost 1910 

To yon aboven every creature, 
Syn that my lyf ne may no lenger dure. 
Alias, the woo ! alias, the peynes stronge. 
That I for you have suffred, and so longe ! 



THE KNIOHTES TALE. 8 1 

Alias, the deth ! alas, myn Emelye ! 1915 

Alias, departyng of our companye ! 

Alias, myn hertes queen ! alias, my wyf ! 

Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf ! 

What is this world? what asken men to have? 

Now with his love, now in his colde grave 1920 

Allone withouten eny companye. 

Farwel, my swete foo ! myn Emelye ! 

And softe tak me in _youre armes tweye, 

For love of God, and herkneth what I seye. 

I have heer with my cosyn Palamon 1925 

Had stryf and rancour many a day i-gon, 
For love of j^/ow, and for my jelousie. 
And Jupiter so wis my sowle gye, 
To speken of a servaunt proprely, 

With alle circumstaunces trewely, 1930 

That is to seyn, truthe, honour, and knighthede, 
Wysdom, humblesse, estaat, and hey kynrede, 
Fredom, and al that longeth to that art. 
So Jupiter have of my soule part. 

As in this world right now ne knowe I non 1935 

So worthy to be loved as Palamon, 
That serveth j/ou, and wol don al his lyf. 
And if that evere ye schul ben a wyf, 
For_yet not Palamon, the gentil man.' 

And with that word his speche faile gan ; 1940 

For fro his feete up to his brest was come 
The cold of deth, that hadde him overcome. 
And yet moreover in his armes twoo 
The vital strengthe is lost, and al agoo. 
Only the intellect, withouten more, 1945 

That dwellede in his herte sik and sore, 
Gan faylen, when the herte felte deth, 
Dusken his eyghen two, and fayleth breth. 
But on his ladyjvit caste he his ye ; 

6 



82 THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

His laste word was, ' Mercy, Emelye ! ' igso 

His spiryt chaungede hous, and wente ther, 

As I cam nevere, I can nat tellen wher. 

Therfore I stynte, I nam no dyvynistre ; 

Of soules fynde I not in this registre, 

Ne me ne list thilke opynyouns to telle 1955 

Of hem, though that thei writen wher they dwellc. 

Arcyte is cold, ther Mars his soule gye ; 

Now wol I speke forth of Emelye. 

Shrighte Emelye, and howleth Palamon, 
And Theseus his suster took anon i960 

Swownyng, and bar hire fro the corps away. 
What helpeth it to taryen forth the day, 
To tellen how sche weep bothe eve and morwe ? 
For in swich caas wommen can han such sorwe. 
Whan that here housbonds ben from hem ago, 1965 

That for the more part they sorwen so. 
Or elles fallen in such maladye, 
That atte laste certeynly they dye. 
Infynyte been the sorwes and the teeres 
Of olde folk, and folk of tendre yeeres ; 1970 

For him ther weepeth bothe child and man 
In al the toun, for deth of this Theban ; 
So gret a wepyng w^as ther noon certayn, 
Whan Ector was i-brought, al freissh i-slayn. 
To Troye ; alias ! the pite that was ther, 197s 

Cracchyng of cheekes, rending eek of heer. 
' Why woldest thou be deed,' thise wommen crye, 
'And haddest gold ynowgh, and Emelye?' 
No man ne mighte gladen Theseus, 

Savyng his olde fader Egeus, 1980 

That knew this worldes transmutacioun. 
As he hadde seen it tornen up and doun, 
Joye after woo, and woo after gladnesse : 
And schewede hem ensamples and liknesse. 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. S^ 

* Right as ther deyde never man,' quod he, 1985 

' That he ne lyvede in erthe in som degree, 
Right so ther lyvede nevere man,' he seyde, 
' In al this world, that som tyme he ne deyde. 
This vs^orld nys but a thurghfare ful of woo. 
And we ben pilgryms, passyng to and froo ; 1990 

Deth is an ende of every worldly sore.' 
And over al this y'lt seide he mochel more 
To this effect, ful wysly to enhorte 
The peple, that they schulde hem reconforte. 

Duk Theseus, with al his busy cure, 1995 

Cast now wher that the sepulture 
Of good Arcyte may best y-maked be, 
And eek most honourable in his degre. 
And atte laste he took conclusioun. 

That ther as first Arcite and Palamon 2000 

Hadden for love the bataille hem bytwene. 
That in that selve grove, soote and greene, 
Ther as he hadde his amorous desires. 
His compleynt, and for love his hoote fyres, 
He wolde make a fyr, in which thoffice 2005 

Of funeral he mighte al accomplice ; 
And leet comaunde anon to hakke and hewe 
The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe 
In culpouns wel arrayed for to brenne. 
His officers with swifte feet they renne, 2010 

And ryde anon at his comaundement. 
And after this, Theseus hath i-sent 
After a beer, and it al overspradde 
With cloth of gold, the richeste that he hadde. 
And of the same sute he cladde Arcyte ; 2015 

Upon his hondes hadde he gloves white ; 
Eek on his heed a croune of laurer grene. 
And in his bond a swerd ful bright and kene. 
He leyde him bare the visage on the beere, 



84 THE KNIQHTES TALE. 

Therwith he weep that pite was to heere. 2020 

And for the people schulde seen huTi alle, 
Whan it was day he broughte hem to the halle, 
That roreth of the crying and the soun. 

Tho cam this woful Theban Palamoun, 
With flotery herd, and ruggy asshy heeres, 2025 

In clothes blake, y-dropped al with teeres ; 
And, passyng other of wepyng, Emelye, 
The rewfulleste of al the companye. 
In as moche as the service schulde be 
The more noble and riche in his degre, 203a 

Duk Theseus leet forth thre steedes brynge, 
That trapped were in steel al gliterynge, 
And covered with the armes of dan Arcyte. 
Upon thise steedes, that weren grete and white, 
Ther seeten folk, of which oon bar his scheeld, 2035 

Another his spere up in his hondes heeld ; 
The thridde bar with him his bowe Turkeys, 
Of brend gold was the caas and eek the herneys ; 
And riden forth a paas with sorweful chere 
Toward the grove, as ye schul after heere. 2040 

The nobleste of the Grekes that ther were 
Upon here schuldres carieden the beere. 
With slake paas, and eyghen reede and wete, 
Thurghout the cite, by the maister streete. 
That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye 2045 

Right of the same is al the strete i-wrye. 
Upon the right bond wente olde Egeus, 
And on that other syde duk Theseus, 
With vessels in here hand of gold wel fyn, 
Al ful of hony, mylk, and blood, and wyn ; 2050 

Eek Palamon, with ful gret companye ; 
And after that com woful Emelye, 
With fyr in bond, as was that time the gyse, 
To do thoffice of funeral servise. 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 85 

Yieygh labour, and ful gret apparailyng 2055 

Was at the service and the fyr makyng, 
That with his grene top the heven raughte, 
And twenty fadme of brede tharmes straughte ; 
This is to seyn, the boowes were so brode. 
Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a loode. 2060 

But how the fyr was maked up on highte, 
And eek the names how the trees highte, 
As 00k, fyr, birch, asp, alder, holm, popler, 
Wilwe, elm, plane, assch, box, chesteyn, lynde, laurer, 
Maple, thorn, beech, hasel, ewe, wyppyltre, 2065 

How they weren feld, schal nov\g-ht be told for me ; 
Ne how the goddes ronnen up and doun, 
Disheryt of here habitacioun. 
In which they woneden in rest and pees, 
Nymphes, Faunes, and Amadrydes ; 2070 

Ne how the beestes and the briddes alle 
Fledden for feere, whan the woode was falle ; • 
Ne how the ground agast was of the lighte. 
That was nought wont to seen the sonne brighte ; 
Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree, 2075 

And thanne with drye stykkes cloven a three, 
And thanne with grene woode and spicerie. 
And thanne with cloth of gold and with perrye, 
And gerlandes hangyng with ful many a flour, 
The myrre, thensens with al so greet odour ; 2080 

Ne how Arcyte lay among al this, 
Ne what richesse aboute his body is ; 
Ne how that Emely, as was the gyse, 
Futte in the fyr of funeral servise ; 

Ne how she swownede when men made the fyr, 2085 

Ne what sche spak, ne what was hire desir ; 
Ne what jewels men in the fyr tho caste. 
Whan that the fyr was gret and brente faste ; 
Ne how summe caste here scheeld, and summe here spere, 



86 THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

And of here vestimentz, which that they were, aogo 

And cuppes ful of wyn, and mylk, and blood, 

Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood ; 

Ne how the Grekes with an huge route 

Thre tymes ryden al the fyr aboute 

Upon the lefte bond, with an lieih schoutyng, 2095 

And thries with here speres clateryng ; 

And thries how the ladyes gonne cr^^e ; 

Ne how that lad was hom-ward Emelye ; 

Ne how Arcyte is brent to aschen colde ; 

Ne how that liche-wake was y-holde 2100 

Al thilke night, ne how the Grekes ple^^e 

The wake-pleyes, ne kepe I nat to seye ; 

Who wrastleth best naked, with oyle enoynt, 

Ne who that bar him best in no disjoynt. 

I wol not tellen eek how that they goon 2105 

Horn til Athenes whan the pley is doon. 

But schortly to the poynt than wol I wende, 

And maken of my longe tale an ende. 

By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres 
Al stynted is the mornyng and the teeres 2no 

Of Grekes, by oon general assent. 
Than semede me ther was a parlement 
At Athenes, on a certeyn poynt and cas ; 
Among the whiche poyntes yspoken was 
To han with certeyn contrees alliaunce, 211s 

And han fully of Thebans obeissaunce. 
For which this noble Theseus anon 
Let senden after gentil Palamon, 
Unwist of him what was the cause and why ; 
But in his blake clothes sorwefully 2120 

He cam at his comaundement in hye. 
The sente Theseus for Emelye. 
Whan they were set, and husst was al the place, 
And Theseus abyden hadde a space 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 87 

Or eny word cam fro his vvyse brest, 2125 

His eyen sette he ther as was his lest, 
And with a sad visage he sykede stille, 
And after that right thus he seide his wille. 

' The firste moevere of the cause above, 
Whan he first made the fayre cheyne of love, 2130 

Gret was theffect, and heigh was his entente ; 
Wei wiste he why, and what therof he mente ; 
For with that faire cheyne of love he bond 
The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond 
In certeyn boundes, that they may not flee ; 213s 

That same prynce and moevere eek,' quod he, 
•• Hath stabled, in this wrecchede world adoun, 
Certeyne dayes and duracioun 
To alle that ben engendred in this place. 
Over the whiche day they may nat pace, 2140 

Al mowe they j/it tho dayes wel abregge ; 
Ther needeth non auctorite tallegge ; 
For it is preved by experience. 
But that me lust declare my sentence. 
Than may men by this ordre wel discerne, 2145 

That thilke moevere stable is and eterne. 
Wel may men knowe, but it be a fool. 
That every part deryveth from his hool. 
For nature hath nat take his b3'gynnyng 
Of no partye ne cantel of a thing, 2150 

But of a thing that parfyt is and stable, 
Descendyng so, til it be corumpable. 
And therfore of his wyse purveaunce 
He hath so wel biset his ordenaunce. 

That spices of thinges and progressiouns 215s 

Schullen endure by successiouns, 
And nat eterne be withoute lye : 
This maistow understande and sen at eye. 

' Lo the 00k, that hath so long a norisschynge 



88 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

Fro tyme that it gynneth first to springe, 2160 

And hath so long a lyf, as we may see, 
Yet atte laste wasted is the tree. 

' Considereth eek, how that the harde stoon 
Under oure feet, on which we trede and goon, 
Tit wasteth it, as it lith by the weye. 2165 

The brode ryver som tyme wexeth dreye. 
The grete townes seen we wane and wende. 
Then may j/e see that al this thing hath ende. 

' Of man and womman sen we wel also, 
That nedes in oon of thise termes two, 2170^ 

That is to seyn, in youthe or elles age. 
He moot ben deed, the kyng as schal a page ; 
Som in his bed, som in the deepe see, 
Som in the large feeld, as men may se. 
Ther helpeth naught, al goth that ilke weye. 2175 

Thajine may I seyn that al this thing moot deye. 
What maketh this but Jupiter the kyng.f* 
The which is prynce and cause of alle thing, 
Convertyng al unto his propre welle, 
From which it is dereyved, soth to telle. 2180 

And here agayns no creature on lyve 
Of no degre avayleth for to stryve. 

Than is it wisdom, as it thinketh me, 
To maken vertu of necessite 

And take it wel, that we may nat eschewe, 2185 

And namelyche that to us alle is dewe. 
And who so gruccheth aught, he doth folye, 
And rebel is to him that al may gye. 
And certeynly a man hath most honour 
To deyen in his excellence and flour, 2190 

Whan he is siker of his goode name. 
Than hath he doon his freend, ne him, no schame. 
And gladder oughte his freend ben of his deth, 
Whan with honour upj^/olden is his breth, 



THE KNIGHTES TALE. 89 

Thanne whan his name appalled is for age ; 2195 

For al forge ten is his vasselage. 

Thanne is it best, as for a worthi fame, 

To dyen whan a man is best of name. 

The contrarye of al this is wilfulnesse. 

Why grucchen we ? why have we hevynesse, 2200 

That good Arcyte, of chyvalry the flour, 

Departed is, with duete and honour 

Out of this foule prisoun of this lyf ? 

Why grucchen heer his cosyn and his wyf 

Of his welfare that lovede hem so wel ? 2205 

Can he hem thank ? nay, God woot, never a del. 

That bothe his soule and eek hemself offende, 

Andj^et they mowe here lustes nat amende. 

' What may I conclude of this longe serye, 
But after wo I rede us to be merye, 2210 

And thanke Jupiter of al his grace ^ 
And or that we departe fro this place, 
I rede that we make, of sorwes two, 
O parfyt joye lastyng ever mo : 

And loketh now wher most sorwe is her-inne, 2215 

Ther wol we first amenden and bygynne. 

' Suster,' quod he, ' this is my fulle assent, 
With al thavys heer of my parlement. 
That gentil Palamon, j^our owne knight. 
That serveth j/ow with herte, wille, and might, 2220 

And evere hath doon, syn that ye fyrst him knewe, 
That j/e schul of jj/oure grace upon him rewe, 
And take him for J^/oure housbond and for lord : 
Leen mej^oure hand, for this is oure acord. 
Let see now of j/oure wommanly pite. 2225 

He is a kynges brother sone, pardee ; 
And though he were a poure bacheler, 
Syn he hath served jkou so many a yeer. 
And had for_you so gret adversite, 



go THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

It moste be considered, leeveth me. 2230 

For gentil mercy aughte passe right.' 

Tlian seyde he thus to Palamon the knight ; 

' I trowe ther needeth litel sermonyng 

To maken j/ou assente to this thing. 

Com neer, and tak j/oure lady by the bond.' 2235 

Bitwixe hem was i-maad anon the bond, 

That highte matrimoyn or mariage. 

By al the counseil and the baronage. 

And thus with alle blysse and melodye 

Hath Palamon i-wedded Emelye. 2240 

And God, that al this wyde world hath wrought, 

Sende him his love, that hath it deere a-bought. 

For now is Palamon in alle wele, 

Lyvynge in blisse, in richesse, and in hele. 

And Emelye him loveth so tendrely, 2245 

And he hire serveth al so gentilly, 

That nevere was ther no word hem bitweene 

Of jelousye, or any other teene. 

Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye ; 

And God save al this fayre companye ! 2250 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUEc 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 



I. Whan. A series of adverbs of time, place, and manner, are 
formed from the pronominal roots ; e.g. : 



Personal 


he 


Demonst. & Rel. the 


Interrog. 


who 


Place 


here 


there 




where 




hither. 


thither 




whither 




hence 


thence 




whence 


Time 




then 




when 


Marnier 




the, thus 




why, how 



Here, there, where, are derived from the A.S. dative (locative) ; 
then, &c., from the Accusative ; the, how, &c., from the Instrumen- 
tal. The adverb the must be distinguished from the pronoun : as, 
the more, the better = quo magis, eo melius. 

Whan that = at what (time) that. That is frequently added 
to words originally interrogative, to give them a relative force, 
e.g., -who that, why that, ivhere that, when that. Sic. ; and by 
analogy also to other words, to render them more or less indefi- 
nite, as zy that, thotcgh that, &c. When the original force of the 
interrogative was lost, the that was omitted as unnecessary. 
This may also be explained by an ellipsis; thus, "when [it is] 
that." 

Aprille = K-^xW (Lat. a;perire, to open), the month in which 
the year opens. 

his. The neuter pronoun was originally hit, gen. his. Its 
is of comparatively recent origin, not being found in the Bible 
except by misprint. See Craik's E. of S., § 54; Abbott's Sh. 
Gram. § 228; Bible Word-Book, sub voc. It. 

schowres = showers. Sing, schower. The change of the 
pronunciation of words ending in re to er is of recent date. 
Geo. Gascoigne (1576) in his Notes of Instruction concerning 
the Making of Verse says: (12) "This poeticall license is a 
shrewde fellow, and couereth many faults in averse; it maketh 



94 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

words longer, shorter, &c., . . it turkeneth (disturbs) all things 
at pleasure, for example .... power for powre." See note 
1. i8. 

Sivoote plural of sivot^ sweet. Final e denotes either the 
plural or the definite declension. This, although the older 
form, is here probably a mere orthographic variation for the 
sake of rhyme, of which liberty there are many instances in the 
early poets : it may, however, indicate an unsettled pronun- 
ciation ; cf. 1. 5 also, "me iveleth his swete swotness." A.R., 92. 
"Thes cos is a swetnesse and a delit of heorte so unimete swote 
and swete." lb. 102. 

3. every. Literally ever-each =■ ever-like-this. 

swich = such. O.E. swylc^ of which the Gothic gives the full 
form swa-leiks, in which swa is an old form of the relative pronoun 
preserved in so, whoso. 

The following pronominal roots are compounded with lie: 
i {Ae) the who swa 

ilke (each). thilke. whilke (which). swilke (such). 
licour. Accent on ultimate, which shows that the word was 
considered as foreign. 

4. which, O.E. whilk. Goth, hwa-leiks, i.e., like what, of 
what kind, (Lat. qua-lis) originally used only as an interroga- 
tive. 

vertue, accent on ultimate. Vital energy. Literally, manli- 
ness, (Lat. vir^ hence the distinguishing characteristic of man or 
woman, that is, energy and chastity, bravery standing for all 
good qualities. See note 1. 515. 

5. breethe. Final e denoting dative. 

6. holte, heethe. Final e denoting dative. 

7. croppes. ^5 plural termination ; usually syncopated. From 
A.S. crop, the top, an ear of corn : some, however, derive from 
ge-rip, what is reaped. 

yonge sonne. Because just entered upon his annual course 
through the signs of the zodiac. 

8- Ram. " There is a difference, in astronomy, between the 
sign Aries and the constellation Aries. In April the sun is, 
theoretically, in the sign Taurus, but visibly in the constellation 
Aries." M. 

halfe, adv. Final e denoting dative, which in A.S. was 
used adverbially. In half, halt, we have a remnant of an old 
word for one, ha. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 95 

Ha-lf = ka, one, leiba, part; kali is from the root lith to go, 
and thus = one-limbed. 

i-rojine, pp. run. The prefix i or y usually denotes the past 
participle ; A.S. and Gev. ge. It sometimes, however, is equivalent 
to the intensive prefix be ; cL y-ron?te?i, A.S. be-icrnen. K , 1835. 

9. maken, pi. — The present ind. pi. ending in A.S. vv^as atk, 
which in some dialects changed to 5 as in the third sing. The 
pr. pi. ending was o?i. En seems to be the result of a tendency 
towards uniformity. So also slepen in the next line. 

10. tJiat^ the A.S. relative; who, which, what, being always 
interrogative. 

alle nighty ace. of time. "The extent of time and space is 
put in the accusative after verbs." March, A.S. Gr., § 295. We 
still say all night, all day, but, except in such idiomatic expres- 
sions, we prefix the article; as, all ike year ; cf. " He continued 
all night'in prayer." Luke vi. 12. " He was al nyght dwellinge 
in the preier of God." lb. ; Wiclif. To denote time wken the A.S. 
used the genitive or dative, which idiom we have still preserved, 
although we have lost the case termination. "But (she) served 
God with fastings and prayers night and day." Luke ii. 37. 
" Daeges and nihtes theowigende." A.S. In such expressions 
we also denote the case relation by a preposition ; as, by nigki. 

Morris reads, " al the night." I follow Tyrwhitt as being 
more idiomatic; cf. alday. K., 522. 

eyke ^=&yQ.. A.S. eage ; ^changing into y ; cf. daeg, day. 

11. priketk = inciteth, spvirreth. It sometimes means to ride 
on horseback; as, — 

" A gentle knight was pricking on the plaine." F.C^, i. i, § i. 

^e/« = them. A.S. kim. We have taken the A.S. dative for 
our ace. or objective case of the pronouns, as the modern 
French forms the nominative case of nouns from the Latin ac- 
cusative. The form ikem has been assumed from the plural of 
the demonstrative se, seo, ikaet. Hem is still in colloquial use; 
as, "Give 'em to me." This.afFords a good illustration of the 
growth of language ; the plural of the personal pronouns has 
disappeared, while its place has been filled by the plural of the 
definite article, for which we had no further use. 

nature, accented on the ultimate, 

Jiere = their, of them. A.S. keora, gen. pi. = of them. See 
remarks on hem. Cf. "here a\ler cappe," p. 586= the caps of 
them all. 



96 NOTES TO THE PROLOOUE. 

corages, hearts. We use heart in this sense; as, "to take 
heart." 

12. Thanne = then. See note 1. i. Then and than were origi- 
nally the same word, and in E.E. there is great confusion in their 
orthography, theji being usually written than, and than, then. 
"The Cambric (is) sooner stayned then the course canvas." 
*' When parents have more care how to leave their children 
•wealthy then wise, and are more desirous to have them mainteine 
the name then the nature of a gentleman." Euphues, Arber's 
ed. p. 34. 

To gon= to go, infinitive. The A.S. inf. ending was an, 
which changed to en; then dropped the ?i, and finally the e, 
which brings us to the present form. 

13. palmers, strictly persons who had made a pilgrimage to 
the Holy Land, and brought back a palm branch as a token : 
here used as synonymous with pi'lgri'm. A palmer was one who 
made a business of visiting shrines, while a pilgrim was one who 
made such a journey in pursuance of a vow, and then returned 
to his usual avocation. 

for to seeken. The A.S. verb, besides the common infinitive, 
had another substantive form of the verb, answering to the 
dative case of the infinitive, which is called the gerund, and 
which was always preceded by to, while the infinitive wanted 
this prefix. This gerund denoted the action rather than the act. 
Having lost the power of distinguishing cases by terminations, 
the construction was indicated by prepositions, as in the case 
of nouns ; the infinitive taking the prefix to, and the dative or 
gerundial infinitive prefixing for to the regular infinitive. To 
seeke7i must be construed as a verbal in the dative after_/<?r. We 
find the gerundial construction in E.E. without for, thus adopt- 
ing the A.S. construction. " Art thou he that art to cummynge." 
Matt. xi. 3; Wiclif. " Eart thu the to cumenne eart." A.S. 
But the gerund without for, generally in E.E., and always in 
modern English, appears in the form of the present participle; 
e. g., "Nyle ye gesse that I am to accusinge you." Jno. v. 45; 
Wiclif. " Seeing is believing." This gerundial in modern Eng- 
lish is inflected in all the cases, with the prepositions for, to, 
or a, e. g., "He has a strong passion for painting;" " I go a- 
fishing." Sometimes* the gerundial has the form of the infinitive, 
from which it must then be cai-efully distinguished. " And fools 
who came to scoff" remained to pray." The following observa- 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 97 

tions may aid in distinguishing gerundial forms from infinitives, 
and from nouns and participles in ing- : (a) An infinitive is 
always either the subject or object of a verb; as, "To err is 
human ; " " He told me to go." Gerundial forms are found, 
however, after intransitive and passive verbs. "Why run to 
meet what you would most avoid.'"' " Slain to make a Roman 
holiday." (b) Gerundial forms are often connected with adjec- 
tives or nouns, apparently being governed by them; as, "Apt 
to teach ; " " A time to build ; " " A house to let." (c) If ending 
m ing, gerundials may be governed by a preposition, and also 
govern a case ; as, " He spent a fortune in educating his son." 
The primary object of the gerundial form is to express purpose, 
fitness, &c., — to consider the act done rather than the doing it. 
The distinction between these two meanings of the modern Eng- 
lish infinitive is important, because difi"erent A.S. forms are rep- 
resented, and because they correspond to different constructions 
in the classic languages. Partly from Angus's Handbook, p. 205, 

14. to feme kalwes. Construe with longen to gon. Read : 
"Then people long to go on pilgrimages to distant shrines." 

15. sckires, gen. oi sckire. 

e«(^e = extremity. "His going forth is from the end of the 
heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it." Ps. xix. 6. 

16. Engelojid; i.e., land of the Angles, — England. 
Canturbicry, three syllables. 

wend =^ go. Went, the assumed pret. of go, is the pret. of 
■wend. The original pret of go was eode or yode, which indicates 
the root io, from which go has been derived by strengthening / 
into J and then into ^. We still use the expression "Wending 
one's way." 

17. holy. A.S. kalig, hal, hale; ig^ adj. termination. It is 
curious to notice that the words in A.S. denoting virtues and 
vices are the same as those which denote bodily graces or de- 
fects ; as, halig, holy, from hale, whole, sound ; wrong from 
Tvringan, to twist; wicked from 'wican, to yield : A holy man is 
a healthy man ; a wicked man is a weak man ; a wrong action 
is an action wrung or twisted out of proper shape. 

martir, Thomas a Becket. 
for to seeke = for to seeken. See 1. 13 and note. 

18. T/iat =^who. The A.S. relative was t/iat, who being al- 
ways interrogative. 

holpen p.p. of helpen. 

7 



98 NOTES TO THE PROLOOUE. 

whan that. See note 1. i. Such expressions reveal the pro- 
nominal force of the adverb, that referring to when considered as 
a pronoun. As the interrogative force oi who and its derivatives 
was lost, the relative word was dropped. 

seeke = sick, ill. This use of the word is now called an Ameri- 
canism, the English having restricted its use to nausea. The 
orthography is varied for the sake of the rhyme. "It is some- 
what more tolerable to help the rime by false orthographie then 
to leaue an vnpleasant dissonance to the eare by keeping trewe 
orthographie and loosing the rime ; as, for example, it is better to 
rime Dore with Restore., then in his truer orthographie which is 
Doore ; and to this word Desire to say Fier, then fyre, though 
it be otherwise better written fire.''' Puttenham's Arte of Poesie, 
ii. 8. 

19. Byfel. Construe with was come., 1. 23. 

that., dem. pron. Whenever in a sentence a leading element 
is replaced by a sentence which, for emphasis or grace, is thrown 
out of its natural position, or when placed at such a distance 
from the leading verb as otherwise to form a blind construction, 
the demonstrative pronoun that is used to call attention to the 
element already or hereafter to be introduced : e.g., " To be or 
not to be, that is the question; " " We hear it not seldom said 
that ignorance is the mother of admiration " = We not seldom 
hear ignorance is, &c., said. " We cannot place a verb or a 
sentence in the accusative relation without prefixing to it a con- 
junction ; i.e., a pronoun which is the bearer of the case relatiot. 
in which the sentence appears." Bopp, Comp. Gr., 1414. Some 
grammarians call /^«/, when so used, the "sentence article," 
which is perhaps its best and most expressive designation. The 
demonstrative force of the word is shown by the fact that when 
the exact words of another are quoted, that is omitted, as : " He 
said ' I will come ' " = He said that he would come. We use the 
definite article similarly before nouns in the predicate; as, " He 
spoke the truth." When the language was inflected, pronouns 
being the most highly inflected of the parts of speech, the 
demonstrative would by its terminations indicate most clearly 
the construction. Thus, in Greek, the infinitive or a sentence 
may be construed as a substantive ; the construction in such cases 
being always shown by the inflection of the neuter article pre- 
fixed, which exactly corresponds to the case under consideration. 
In the case now before us, that calls the attention to the fact that 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 



99 



the subject of by/el has not been introduced ; it therefore quali- 
fies "Wei nyne and twenty, &c., was come." 

That in such cases is also sometimes explained as having a 
relatival force, but it is better considered as a substantival sign. 
See also note 1. 43. 

20. Tabard. "A jaquet or slevelesse coat worne in times 
past by noblemen in the warres, but now only by heraults [her- 
alds], and is called theyre 'coate of amies in servise.' It is the 
signe of an inne in Southwarke by London, within the which 
was the lodging of the Abbot of Hyde by Winchester. This 
is the hostelrie where Chaucer and the other pilgrims mett to- 
gether, and, with Henry Baily, their hoste, accorded about the 
manner of their journey to Canterbury." Speght. 

23. was come. An intransitive pluperfect form. Intransitives 
in A.S. formed the perfect and pluperfect with the auxiliary to 
be, as ic eom, waes cumen ; ic si, waere cum en. 

hostelrie, a lodging, an inn, usually abbreviated into hotel. 
" Hostler properly signifies the keeper of an inn, and not, as 
now, the servant who looks after the horses." M. We still 
call the keeper of an inn "mine host." ^ 

24. lVel = iu\\, adv. 

z'n a company. We would now omit the article, which here 
has the force of one ; in one company, i.e., together. 

25. Of sondry folk=^oi various kinds, different classes of 
people ; gen. after numerals. 

folk, coll. noun = people. This word has no plural form. 

by ave7ittire if alle = hy chance fallen into fellowship or com- 
pany. 

aventure = ad-venture. By aventure = Fr. peradventure. 
We find at a ve?itiire^^2X aventure, and adventure. "A cer- 
tain man drew a bow at a venture." i Kg. xxii. 34. 

26. felawschipe, fellowship. From felaw, a companion. 
The suffix ship (from A.S. scapan, to make) denotes state, 
office ; cf. landscape. 

thei. It is worthy of notice that Chaucer always uses the 
personal forms here., hetn for the oblique cases, but the demon- 
strative form thei for the nominative plural of the personal 
pronouns. 

A lie, dissyllable. Final e denotes the plural. 

27. wolden, pr. pi. of will. 

ryde = nden, inf.; final e sounded. 



L.ofC. 



lOO NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

ckambreS'- stables, private and public rooms. (?) Stable lit- 
erally means a standing' place, but in this connection perhaps 
alludes to the public rooms of the inn (the standing places), as 
compared with the private rooms or chambers (sleeping places). 
" And he . . . ledde into a stable and dide the cure of hym." 

Luke X. 34. Wiclif. 
" Ther was not place to hym in the comyn stable." 

Luke ii. 7. lb. 

29. -ivel — esed : a translation of the French bien azses. Easy 
retains this force in such expressions as "A man in ea^y circum- 
stances." 

atte = at the, O.E. at than, atten, A.S. at tham. Atte is usu- 
ally followed by the dative as in E.E., and when followed by a 
feminine noun the corresponding form is atter. 

beste, adjective in dative, used adverbially with ellipsis of 
noun. 

30. sckortly^= in a little while. 

to reste = at rest ; i.e., had set. To and at are different forms 
of the same word ; cf. Lat. ad. 

31. So correlates with t/iat in next line. 

Everychon = every one. The y in every represents the word 
each, and thus gives to the word its distributive force. 

32. here = their, gen. pi., used adjectively. 

anon = in one (moment), an = in. Gower writes " in one." 
" And loke upon her ever in one." Con. Am., iii. 28. 
" But ever in one min eye longeth." lb., 29. 

33. made, dissyllable ; contracted from maked. 

34. ther as I yow devyse = to that place that I speak to you of. 
Ther «5 = where. When followed hy as, ther seems to retain its 
pronominal force, while as serves as its correlative pronoun. 
When the pronominal force was wholly lost, as was dropped. 

Where was originally used only as an interrogative. 

devyse = to speak of. We still use advise in the same sense; 
as, " He was advised of the fact." 

35. natheles = none-the-less, nevertheless ; cf. Lat. quominus. 
■whiles = whilst. The O.E. hwile is still in good colloquial 

use, the comparatively modern form ivhilst being generally pre- 
ferred in written discourse. 

36. Or that = before that, ere that. Or = A.S. aer, ere. 
" Clear was the day as I have told or this." K., 825. 
" Or ever thou hadst formed the earth." Ps. xc. 2c 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. lOl 

37. Metkinketh = it seems (proper) to me. Me is dative after 
the so-called impersonal construction. In A.S. this verb had 
two forms, — an ?icX.\y&, ikenca?ii to think, and an intransitive, 
thmcan, to seem. We have confused the two verbs in modern 
English bj spelling both alike ; whilst in the case oi set^ sit ; lay, 
lie, we have retained the distinction in the spelling as well as 
in the sense. "And the watchman said, Me thinketh the run- 
ning of the foremost," etc. 2 Sam. xviii. 27. We still use me- 
thinks, but without any conception of its true construction. The 
grammatical subject of thinketh is the inf. to telle, which is here 
anticipated by //, according to our common idiom ; it, therefore, 
refers to to telle as its antecedent. 

In illustration of this construction compare the expression 
"If you please," where jo?^ is dative, and please a subjunctive by 
inflection. 

accordant /<? = according to, with the French participial ending. 

resoun, accented on the ultimate. 

38. To telle ^= to tellen. Final e sounded. 
yow, dative after to telle. 
co7i-di-ci-oun. 

39. hem = them. 

so as : so limits to telle ; as (also) is a conjunction. 
it semede me = it seemed to me. Me, dative. 

40. which (A.S. hvjy-lic, like what) here means xvhat sort of 
persons, noting an indirect question. 

degre = degree, station in life. This word originally denoted 
the steps, or seats in an amphitheatre arranged in the form of 
steps, and came, as here, to denote rank, from the custom of as- 
signing certain seats to the different classes of society; ci.de- 
grade^\.o seat one lower; cf. also K., 11. 576, 1032. 

41. what array that. The relative />^a/ is added because of the 
interrogative force of -what: it is also added to all cases of who, 
which, what, to form the relative. The full construction would 
be, " In what array it was that they were in." 

Inne, adv. In O.E. the prep, is in, the adv. inne. 

42. knight. " It was a common thing in this age for knights 
to seek employment in foreign countries which were at war." M. 

than = then. 

byginne^=\iQ.^\x\\ inf. e final is sounded as sign of the inf. 
By has been corrupted into be in several words ; e.g., because for 
bycause. 



I02 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

43. t/ier, indefinite pronoun, and like it used to anticipate 
or designate the subject, which is usually introduced subse- 
quently : the expression here is equivalent to, " Ther was a 
knight," but poetic license has restored the order, although the 
word which denotes the inversion in prose is still retained. Ther 
acts like a demonstrative, calling attention to the subject, if already 
introduced, or anticipating it if placed after the verb ; and its use 
is best explained by that (see note, 1. 19) when used to call atten- 
tion to a leading element, either by way of emphasis, or for the 
sake of clearness. That there in such cases is a pronoun, and 
not an adverb or an expletive as it is sometimes called, may be 
seen hy a comparison of the two words thus used, viz., it and 
there, as the same reasoning will apply to both; cf. " Thaer 
weard geworden micel eorthbifung." A.S. "^5geschah ein 
grosses erdheben." Ger. Matt, xxviii. 2. Cf. also, "These are 
times that try men's souls," and, "There are times that try men's 
souls." The first expression = " These times try men's souls; " 
the second = " Certain times try men's souls." The first is a 
definite statement; the second is indefinite: the difference is, 
of course, due to the subject, which in one case is a definite de- 
monstrative, and in the other an indefinite demonstrative. 

and that = ^nd that one (he). The demonstrative is used to 
emphasize the word to which it refers. Cf. Gr. kcu tovto, Eph. 
ii. 8. " We still use ' and that' to give emphasis, and call atten- 
tion to an additional circumstance; e.g., 'He was condemned, 
a?id that unheard. ' " Abbott, Sh. Gr., § 70. 

44. that = who] to be cpnstrued with he in next line. We 
also find that his ^= whose. K., 1852. That him = whom ; ^vho 
being used interrogatively, and that being a general relative was 
rendered definite by the addition of the personal pronoun, which 
could not be used relatively without some relative word. We 
have obviated the difl&culty by using xvho as a personal relative, 
retaining the indefinite relative that. 

45. c>^j't;«//'j'g = the profession of a knight. Y. chevalier. The 
Lat. caballus has passed into English as cob, with a singular 
change in meaning, not denoting a spirited horse, but the re- 
verse. 

46. honour, fredom, accented on the ultimate. 
curtesie = conxWy manners. 

"I take thy word. 
And trust thy honest oftered courtesy, 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 103 

Which oft is sooner found in lowly sheds 
With smoky rafters, than in tapestry halls 
And courts of princes, where it first was named 
And yet is most pretended." 

Comus, 322. 

47. lordes, gen. of lord, — lord's, — the apostrophe marking 
the elision of the vowel. 

48. hadde, pronounced had. 
ride7i, p.p. = ridden. 

ferre., comp. of far. Thus, also, ^e/^r^ ^ dearer ; ner = 
nearer; 5arre= sorer; w«rre^ worse. 

49. Christendom — hethenesse =^'\n Christian lands — heathen 
countries. Hethenesse is from the root heath = the open country. 
The same low idea of the morals of country people is seen in the 
word villahi., vfh'ich means villager ; that is, the person attached 
to the villa or farm as opposed to citizen. 

As iji, to be read '5 ifi. 

50. honoured, supply he -was. 

Scan : And ev | ere hon | oured for | his worth | inesse. 

51. Alisandre. "Alexandria was won (and immediately after 
abandoned) in 1365, by Pierre de Lusignan, King of Cyprus. 
Walsingham says: ' Interfuerunt autem huic captione cum rege 
Cyprioe plures Anglici.' " T. 

52. Fill ofte ty7ne = fuU many a time, — very many times. 
He hadde the bord bygonne. " He had been placed at the 

head of the table, the usual compliment to extraordinary merit." 
T. Mr. Marsh suggests (which suggestion is adopted by Mor- 
ris) that bord is the Low Ger. boort, joust, tournament. Wright's 
Diet. Ob. and Prov. Eng. gives '■'• Bordes (A. N. behordeis) 
tournaments ; " but the following extract from Gower's Confessio 
Amantis, iii. 298, would seem to be conclusive in favor of 
Tyrwhitt's explanation : — 

"The floure of all the town was there 

And of the court also there were. 

And that was in a large place 

Right even before the Kinges face, 

Whiche Artestrates thanne hight. 

The pley was pleied right in his sight. 

And who most worthy was of dede 

Receive he shulde a certain jnede, 

And in the citee bere a price \_prize'\. 



I04 NOTES TO THE rROLOGUE. 

Appollinus, which ware and wise, 
Of every game couth an ende [^a part'], 
He thought assay, howso it wende, 
And fell among hem into game. 
And there he wanne him such a name 
So as the king himself accompteth 
That he all other men surmounteth, 
And bare the prise above hem alle. 
The king bad that into his halle 
At souper time he shall be brought. 

At souper time netheles 

The king amiddes all the pres 

Let clepe him up amonge hem alle 

And bad his mareshall of his halle 

To setten him hi such degre 

That he Jipon him mighte se. 
The king was sone sette and served 

And he which had his prise deserved* 

After the kinges owne worde 

Was made begm a iniddel borde 

That bothe king and quene him sigh {niight 5ee]." 
53. Aboven alle naciouns. He took the precedence of the rep- 
resentatives of all other nations at the Court of Prussia. " When 
our English knights wanted employment, it was usual for them 
to go and serve in Pruce or Prussia, with the Knights of the 
Teutonic order, who were in a state of constant warfare with 
their heathen neighbors in Lettow (Lithuania), Ruce (Russia), 
and elsewhere." T. 

Pruce ; i.e. Borussia = Lower Russia. 

55. Read : " No Christian man of his rank had reysed (raided) 
so often in Lithuania and in Russia." 

56. Gernade^= Granada. Algezir was taken from the Moor- 
ish king of Granada in 1344. 

atte = at the. See note, 1. 29. 

be = been. The final en dropped as in the infinitives. The 
A.S. beon had no past participle ; cf. ydo = ydon. 

57. riden = ridden. Pronounced ri'd'n. 

'■'■ Belmarie and Tremassene were Moorish kingdoms in 
Africa." M. 

58. Lieys in Armenia was taken from the Turks by Pierre de 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 105 

Lusignan about 1367, and Satalie (Attalia).bj the same prince 
soon' after. 

59. Greete See = that part of the Mediterranean between the 
Greek islands and the coast of Syria- " Ye shall even have the 
great sea for a border." Numb, xxxiv. 6. 

60. arive. Literally a landing, an arrival, but here denoting 
a hostile landing. Terms denoting travel in E.E. denote quite 
frequently warlike movements ; cf. rider, Ger. ritter = a warrior. 

" Fro thenne he goth toward Itaile 
By ship, and there his arrivaile 
Hath take, and shope him for to ride [ra^V/]." 

Gower, ii. 4. 
*' And forth he goth, as nought ne were. 
To Troy, and was the firste there, 
Which londeth and toke arrivaile, 
For him was lever in the bataile, 
He saith, to deien as a knight 
Than for to live in all his might 
And be reproved of his name." lb., 66. 
"Tho saw I eke all the arivaile 
That ^neas had made in Itaile." H. of F., i. 451. 
Scan : At man | y a no | bl' arriv | e hadde | he be. 
Tyrwhitt reads annee. 

61. mortal battailles = deadly conflicts ; as distinguished from 
mere tournaments or li'stes, as in 1. 63, which denotes single 
combat or duel. 

battailles, battles. Primary signification, the blows given in 
combat; hence a company of men engaged in battle. "Their 
battles are at hand." Shak. J. C, v. i. (i.e., battalions^. 

62. foughten, P-P'> sc hadde. 

63. lystes = tournaments ; single combats. So called from 
the line (Lat. licium) enclosing the field of combat. 

"The field with listes was all about enclosed. 
To barre the prease of people farre away." 

Spenser, F. Q^, iv. 3, § 4. 
Listes also denotes the enclosed space : — 
" At last arriving by the listes side, 
Shee with her rod did softly smite the raile." 

F. Gt,, iv. 3, § 46. 
ay = alway, i.e., each time; not as now jienotipg continuous 
duration. 



I06 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

64. like = same; cf. " of that ilk." 

65. Some tyme = at one time. Some is the A.S. indefinite 
pronoun. Sum man = aliquis. Tyme in the ace. of time. 

/o^^= sovereign. "Lord, which in modern English has 
become sjnonjmous with nobleman, was in A.S. hlaford, which 
is supposed by some to mean, — ord^ the origin oi, hlaf, loaf; 
while others look upon it as a corruption of hlaf-weard, the 
warder of bread. It corresponds to the German Brot-kerr, and 
meant originally employer, master, lord." Max Miiller. But this 
etymology is doubtful. See note under 1. 601. 

Palatye in Anatolia; one of the lordships held by Christian 
knights under the Turks. 

66. hetkene, sc king. "The word heathen acquired its mean- 
ing from the fact that, at the introduction of Christianity into 
Germany, the wild dwellers on the heaths [open country] longest 
resisted the truth." Trench on Words. 

" Hethen is to mene after heeth and untiled erthe." -^ 

Piers PI. 

67. sovereyyi prys = a superior renown : the highest praise. 

68. thotcgh that = though. This expression is perhaps best 
explained by considering it as elliptical, and supplying it be, as 
in the expression "if so be that." 

69. of his port ^= in his deportment; an imitation of the A.S. 
gen. of part or relation. See March, A.S. Gr., § 321. 

mayde = a maiden. This word in the A.S. has a variety of 
meanings; e.g., maid, daughter, family^ relation, tribe, people, 
country. From the root magan, to be able, whence also the form 
maeg, in the masculine, denoting son, relation, neighbor. The 
literal meaning would therefore be " the strength of a family," 
a designation peculiarly applicable to children when each family 
composed a clan, which would be strengthened as well by the 
matrimonial alliances of the daughters, as by the number of the 
sons. 

70. no — ne. In E.E. as in French, the noun and the verb 
were each negatived, the two negations not making an affirma- 
tive. We have here three negatives, never — 7io — ne. 

vilonye = conduct unbecoming a gentleman. "The word 
villain is, first, the serf or peasant ; villanus, because attached to 
the villa or farm. He is, secondly, the peasant, who, it is fur- 
ther taken for granted, will be churlish, selfish, dishonest, and 
generally of evil mor^l conditions ; those having come to be 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 107 

assumed as always belonging to him, and to be permanently 
associated with his name, by tliose higher classes of society who, 
in the main, commanded the springs of language. At the third 
step, nothing of the meaning which the etymology suggests, 
nothing of the villa survives any longer; the peasant is wholly 
dismissed, and the evil moral conditions of him who is called by 
this name alone remain; so that the name would now, in this its 
final stage, be applied as freely to peer, if he deserved it, as to 
peasant." Trench, Eng. Past and Pres., 262. 

The villain or villein in England was a feudal tenant of the 
lowest class, and hence the transfer of meaning in the word had 
probably a better foundation than aristocratic pride. 

71. maner w/^^/ = manner of wight; sort of person. In 
E.E. of'x's, omitted after majiner. "And all manner vessels of 
ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood." Rev. 
xviii. 12. 

*' So in swiche maner rime is Dantes tale." C T., 6709. 

72. vcrray = tx\xQ.. In E.E. used as an adjective. " Art thou 
my very son Esau.?" Gen. xxvii. 25. " Very God of very God." 
Creed. 

^e«/// = noble ; with the manners of the higher orders of 
society; well-bred. This word comes from the L,a.tin g-ens, which 
signified a clan, and was used particularly to designate those 
patrician families who had descended from the senators selected 
by Romulus and Tarquin. Gentile is the same word, meaning 
the clans or tribes; hence all clans but ours. Cf. genteel^ 
genilemaji. 

73. But — i.e., "I will omit further encomium." 
yow, dative, indirect object of telle. 

array = outfit. " Whos schulen tho thingis be that thou 
hast arayed." Luke xii. 20; Wiclif. 

74. f/e — yiought^ the usual double negative. 

nought ^= in no respect (from A.S. 71a — -wikt^. We use the 
full form as a noun, and the contracted form as the adverb; 
cf. naught, nought^ not. 

^rtj/ = lively, fast. Morris says : " Gay here seems to signify 
decked out in various colors," but we still speak of a gay horse., 
meaning one full of mettle. 

75. iverede, preterite of -wear. A.S., werian pr. iverede. In 
this case the general tendency of the language towards the sub- 
stitution of the weak for the strong conjugation has been over- 



io8 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

come by the more powerful influence of analogy; so that this 
verb, which in A.S, was conjugated according to the weak form, 
has in modern English taken- a strong preterite. 

76. ruitk^hy, cf. Ger. mit. With and ^j are closely allied in 
many of their uses, the original signification of either denoting 
proximity. 

" He is attended with a desperate train." 

Shak. Lear, ii. 4. 
/fabergeouji, a diminutive of hauberk (A.S. hahbeorg-= wQck.- 
guard), but often used as synonymous with it; a piece of defen- 
sive armor, descending from the neck to the middle : according 
to some, " armor protecting the head and shoulders." The fol- 
lowing extract from the Rime of Sir Thopas, § 24, 25, describes 
the armor of a knight : — 

" He didde next his white lere [^skhi] 
Of cloth of lake \_lme7i\ fine and clere 

A breche and eke a sherte ; 
And next his shert an haketon {cassock^ 
And over that an habergeo)i 

For percing of his herte ; 
And over that a fine hauberk, 
Was all ywrought of Jewes werk, 

Ful strong it was of plate ; 
And over that his cote-armoure, 
As white as is the lily floure. 

In which he wold debate \_fight\.'''' 

77. ycome, p.p. come. The prefix i or y denotes the past parti- 
ciple of verbs. It is still used as an archaism \x\ yclept. In A.S. 
it was also prefixed to the preterite tense. 

vtage, a journey either by sea or land. The journey to Can- 
terbury is called a viage in 1. 792. 

78. 'pilgrimage, which he had vowed in case of his safe return. 
It was usual to perform such votive pilgrimages in the dress 
worn on the journey. 

80. lovyere. This is still the vulgar pronunciation, but which 
is onl}"^ an archaism ; formed from A.S. lufian, pronounced loof- 
yan. 

Lusty, vigorous, handsome ; without the opprobrious force 
the word has since acquired. 

backeler. " A soldier not old or rich enough to lead his re- 
lations into battle with a banner. The original sense of the word 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 109 

is little, small, young; from Welsh 3<2<:^." Webster. " The func- 
tions of a knight were complete when he rode at the head of his 
retainers assembled under his banner, which was expressed by 
the term ' lever banniere.' So long as he was unable to take 
this step, either from insufficient age or poverty, he would be 
considered only as an apprentice in chivalry, and was called a 
knight bachelor." Wedgwood, 2d ed. 

81. a5=as if. The verb tvere leyde being in the subjunctive, 
rendered the conjunction unnecessary, so long as the conditional 
mode was indicated by inflection. Having lost the power of 
indicating contingency by the form of the verb, we now use the 
conjunctions if, though, &c. The construction without if is fre- 
quent in Shakspeare. See Craik's E. of S., p. 279. 

82. of twenty yeer, A. S. gen. of time how long, "And whanne 
Jhesus was maad of twelve yeeres." Luke ii. 42 ; Wiclif. The 
A.S. more generally expressed this idea by ivintre. 

yeer, pi. In E.E. neuters took no inflection in the plural; 
thus hors, deer, &c. '■''Harvest is the primitive signification of 
our English word year, and its representative in the cognate 
languages. I am aware that this is not the received etymology 
of year, nor do I propose it with by any means entire confidence. 
. . . In Anglo-Saxon ear signifies an ear of grain; and by sup- 
plying the collective prefix ge, common to all the Teutonic lan- 
guages, we have gear, an appropriate expression for harvest^ and 
at the same time a term which, as well as winter, was employed 
as the name of the entire year. The corresponding words, in 
the cognate languages, admit of a similar derivation ; and this, 
to me, seems a more probable etymology than those by which 
these words are connected with remoter roots." Marsh, Lect. 
on E. L., p. 245, note. 

^6556 = should think; subj. The idea of uncertainty does not 
attach to this word in E.E. 

83. evene lengthe = pYopev height ; i.e., neither too tall nor too 
short, — the usual height. 

8^. gret = gTe,Sit; definite form ^;'e/e. 

Of stre7igthe = as regards strength. This use of of is com- 
mon in Shakspeare. "A valiant man of his hands." Abbott's 
Sh. Gr., § 113. Cf. " Swift of foot." " A zeal of God." Rom. 
X. 2. It is the A.S. adjunct genitive denoting the part or relation 
in which the quality is conceived. See March, A.S. Gr., § 321. 

85. chevachie, military service. " It most properly means an 



no NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

expedition with a small party of cavalry, but is often used gen- 
erally for any military expedition. Hollinshed calls it a rode 
[i.e., a raid]. T. 

87. And horn him w^/ = behaved bravely. 

as — so. As is a contraction of also (A.S, eal-swa), the all 
merely emphasizing the so. ^5= in that way; to that degree 
that. Read: "And had borne himself bravely — all in so little 
time — in hope to stand in his lady's favor." Tyrwhitt reads 
"as of so," which would mean " for one of his years," an easier 
reading, though the other gives the same general meaning. 

88. /^^^/'a<:c = lady's grace. Lady is for Ladye, gen. sing, 
(not pi. as Morris's ed. reads). In E.E. the genitive of some 
feminine nouns ended in e ; other nouns ending in e were some- 
times inflected in a similar manner. "That biteth the horse 
heels." Gen. xlix. 17, where, however, horse may be gen. pi. 
A.S. horsa. 

89. Embyoided=Q.vc\\>\'0\diQ\'Q.^^ — /V, i.e., his clothing. 

90. al, adv. used intensively. 

fresshe. " The English brisk, frisky, and fresh, all come from 
the same source. . . . Fresh has passed through a Latin chan- 
nel, as may be seen from the change of its vowel, and, to a cer- 
tain extent, in its taking the suffix 7ne?it in refreshment, which is 
generally, though not entirely, restricted to Latin words. Under 
a thoroughly foreign fonn it exists in English 2iS fresco, so called 
because the paint was applied to the walls whilst the plaster was 
Btill fresh or damp." M. Miiller. 

gi. fioytyng-e^=^\?iy\x\g on the flute. 

"And manj a floyte and litling home." H. of F., iii. 133. 

al the day, ace. of time. 

92. moneth = x\\oni\\. " ik/"(9c>« is a very old word. It was ;;?<?w<2 
in A.S. For month, we have in A.S. monath, in Gothic menoth. 
(n Sanskrit we find mas for moon, and masa for month. Now 
this mas in Sanskrit is clearly derived from a root ma, to meas- 
ure, to mete. The mooji, therefore, is the measurer, and month 
is the portion of time measured by it." See Sci. of Lang., Miil- 
ler, ist Series, p. 16. 

93. w)/<fe = large. We read in the poem on the Deposition of 
Richard II. of " Sieves that slode uppon the erthe." p. 22. 

94. sitte and ryde, infinitives {or sitten and riden depending on 
coivde. 

on hors^= on horseback. The loss of inflection has rendered 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. Ill 

necessary a large increase of definitive words. We would be 
obliged to use the article here. 

yaz>e = fairly, well. Any adjective in A.S. could be used in. 
the dative as an adverb; having lost the inflection, we restrict 
the adverb to the form in /y, A.S. lice. 

95. make, endite, juste, daiuice, purtraye, and -xvrite, are infini- 
tives depending upon cowde. 

96. pziriraye = dvivw, sketch. We restrict the noun portrait 
to a painting of a face or person. 

write. To be able to write was a rare accomplishment ; cf. 
clergy = clericus = clerk. 

97. nig/itertale =^ r\\ghi-\.\xne. "A.S. nihteni-dael. Lyd- 
gate uses nig/itertyme.'" T. Morris explains as night tale = the 
reckoning or time of night. 

98. 5/^ e;^ = slept. The addition of t changes this verb to 
the weak conjugation. It was a useless addition. 

nygktyjigale =n\ght\ng2i.\e. A.S. ni/ite, by night; gale, a 
singer, from galan, to sing; cf. Lat. gallus,. 

99. Curteys. See note, 1. 46. 
servysable, willing to render service. 

100. carf= carved, — pr. of kerven, to carve. 

loi. Teman. "Yeman, or yeoman, is an abbreviation of 
yeongejnan, as youthe is of yeongthe. Young men being most 
usually employed in service, servants have, in many languages, 
been denominated from the single circumstance of age. The 
title of yeoman was given, in a secondary sense, to people of 
middling rank, not in service. The appropriation of the word 
to signify a small landholder is more modern, I apprehend." T. 
More probably, a countryman. Frisic, gaeman, a villager. 

he, i.e., the knight. 

servantes, dissyllable, accented on ultimate. 

no moo = no more. An abbreviated comparative of many. 
Mo, moe, are common in Shakspeare. 

102. hijii luste=^\t pleased him. Him maybe construed as 
dative after the impersonal construction, or, perhaps better, as 
in A.S., as ace. after impersonal of feeling. " Impersonals of 
appetite or passion, in A.S., govern an accusative of the person 
suffering." March, § 290. So hunger, thirst, list, long, loath, 
irk, rue, dream, tickle, smart, game. 

Ryde, inf. subject of luste. 

103. hood^ hat, Ger. htit. Hood now denotes a covering 



112 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

for the head worn by women. It literally means a protection, 
or covering. 

G^e«e was the favorite color of hunters. " Immediately he 
clothed the chiefest of his men in Lincoln green, with black 
hats, and white feathers, all alike." Robin Hood in Thorn's 
E. E. Prose Rom., p. iii. 

104. pocok arwes, arrows feathered with peacock feathers. 
Ascham in his Toxophilus (p. 129, Arber's ed.) says: "And 
trewelye at a short but, which some man doth use, ye Pecock 
fether doth seldome kepe vp ye shaft eyther ryght or leuel," to 
which bad reputation Chaucer evidently alludes in 1. 107. 

«;'we5= arrows. A.S. arewe, artve, irovn. ar (ore), copper, 
and therefore equivalent in meaning to " the weapon," — as we 
say " the steel " for "• the sword." Copper, being found pure and 
easily worked, was the earliest metal made use of by man, and 
in most languages has given the generic name for metal. Thus 
Hesiod says (Op. 149): "The ancients had copper implements 
(weapons) and copper houses, and they wrought (dealt) in 
copper, for they did not have the black iron." Thus the Greek 
term for copper, ;^;a/l/c6c, was used by Homer for the general term 
weapon and also metal. So A.S. ar, O.N. or, Eng. ore, Ger. 
erz, Lat. (es {aer-s), all point to one and the same metal, — cop- 
per; and as the Greeks called the sword xakKoc,, and the Latins 
designated weapons by aera (" Ardentis clipeos atque aera mi- 
cantia cerno," Virgil, Aen. ii. 734), so our ancestors used the 
same word to designate their chief weapon. Wedgwood, how- 
ever, refers the name " to their -whirring through the air." 

brighte. Formerly applied to sounds as well as to objects. 

" Heosong so schille and so brihie." O. and N. 1654. 
" The phenomena from whence all representative words are im- 
mediately taken must, of course, belong to the class which 
addresses itself to the ear ; and we find accordingly that the 
words expressing attributes of light are commonly derived from 
those of sound." Wedgwood. 

105. thriftily, carefully, with the air of a man who under- 
stood his business. 

106. yomanly, in a manner becoming a yeoman. 

107. -with fetheres, because of the bad adjustment of the 
feathers. This use of wzV^ is common in Skakspeare. "With 
(which like by signifies juxtaposition) is often used to express 
the juxtaposition of cause and effect." Shak. Gr., § 193. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 1 13 

lotve, adv. modifying drowpede. 

109. iVfj^^ee^, a head with close-cut hair. Tyrwhitt's Glos- 
sary explains as " a head like a nut." 

111. bracef, armor for the arm to protect it from the recoil 
of the bow-string. "A bracer serueth for two causes, one to 
saue his arme from the strype of the strynge, and his doublet 
from wearynge, and the other is, that the strynge glydynge 
sharpelye and quicklye of the bracer, may make the sharper 
shoote." Toxophilus, Arber's ed., 108. 

112. bokeler, a dissyllable. 

113. that oi/ier=the other. The neuter of the A.S. demon- 
strative, which we have taken as the definite article, was thaet^ 
and in E.E. was often used where we would now use the posses- 
sive pronoun. The same usage prevails in Greek. 

daggere. " The syllable </<7^ or ^?^ represents the noise of 
a blow with something sharp; then the instrument with which 
the blow is given, or any thing of similar form." Wedgwood. 

114. Harneysed, equipped; fitted with hangings. 

115. Cristofre^ an image of St. Christopher, patron saint of 
the weather and forests, and especially reverenced by the lower 

\orders of society; it "vV^as worn as a brooch, and was considered 
as having power to shield the wearer from hidden danger. 
117. forster^ a forester; one who had charge of a forest. 

119. sym^le. Elide final e before a vowel. The original 
meaning of siinple lacked the idea of stupidity which we gen- 
erally attach to it. Simple has come to us through the French ; 
while complex, from the same root, has come from the Latin direct. 

120. gretteste. Final e denotes definite declension. 

Ne — ^?^^=only. Still used in England in the form /zo^m/. 
Wright's Die. The second negative is here supplied by but, 
which has a negative force. " The thief cometh tiot but for to 
steal." Gr. ei iirj. Jno. x. 10. Cf. also, " There were but ten " 
= there were no more than (only) ten. See Abbott's Shak. Gr., 
§§ I 18-130. 

Z,<?)/ = Eloy, i.e., St. Eligius. Tyrwhitt reads: " nasbut by 
St. Eloy." 

122. sang the servise ^xntoxiedi the service. "And bi the 
weie ase heo geth, go singinde hire beoden " (beads, prayers). 
An. R., 424. 

Servise, prayers, — not mass, which could be celebrated only 
by a priest. 

8 



114 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE, 

123. Entuned in her nose. The notion that there is a peculiar 
solemnity in a nasal tone is not yet extinct. 

semely, becomingly : trissyllable. 

124. From the time of William the Conqueror, who filled all 
offices in Church and State with Normans, and thus made 
French the aristocratic language, until nearly, if not quite, to 
the time of Chaucer, familiarity with the French language was 
esteemed .a mark of high breeding and education. Gower, a 
contemporary of Chaucer, wrote one of his long poems in 
French, one in Latin, and one in English. The confusion of 
the speech of the different classes of people between these three 
tongues — Latin being spoken by ecclesiastics, French by the 
nobility, and English by the common people — is admirably 
shown by the specimens given in the " Political Songs of Eng- 
land," edited by Thos. Wright for the Camden Society, 1839. 

" En seynt eglise sunt multi saepe priores ; 
Summe beoth wyse, multi sunt inferiores." p. 251. 
Robert of Gloucester (i. 364) gives the following account of the 
introduction of French : — 

"Thus come lo ! Engelond into Normannes honde. 
And the Normans ne couthe speke tho bote her owe speche, 
And speke French as dude at om and here chyldren dude also 

teche 
So that hey men of thys lond, that of her blod come, 
Holdeth alle thulke speche that hii of hem nome. 
For bote a man couthe French, me tolth of hym wel lute ; 
Ac lowe men holdeth to Englyss and to her kunde speche 
yute." 
That is : Thus came England into the Normans' hands; and the 
Normans could not then speak any but their own language; and 
they spoke French as they did at home, and so taught their chil- 
dren ; so that the nobility of this land that descended from them 
all (hold to) continue to use that language that they received of 
them. For, except a man understood French, one made but 
little of him; but the common people continue to use English 
and their native speech yet. 

Prof. Earle, in his " Philology of the English Tongue," says : 
" During this long interval (from the 12th to the 14th cen- 
tury) the reigning language was French; and this fashion, like 
all fashions, went on spreading and embracing a wider area, 
and ever growing thinner as it spread, till in the thirteenth and 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 1 15 

fourteenth centuries it was become an acknowledged subject of 
derision." p. 65. 

125. scole of Stratford, after the stjle spoken in the rural 
districts of England, rather than that spoken in Paris. 

126. Frensch of Paris. Of the various dialects spoken in 
France, that spoken at the capital early became the standard. 
For a most interesting" account of this subject, see Brachet's 
Historical French Grammar. " Chaucer thought but meanly 
of the English French spoken in his time. It was proper, how- 
ever, that the Prioress should speak some sort of French, not 
only as a woman of fashion (a character which she is repre- 
sented to affect), but as a religious person." T. 

u?tknoive, p.p. ^ unknown. The tendency to drop final ji, 
which has prevailed in the case of the infinitive, is here ex- 
hibited in the case of the participle, where it has in most cases 
successfully resisted. 

127. ai inete= at the table. 

ivithalle, besides, with all her other accomplishments. 

128. Falle, inf., to be construed with/^e/(pr. of let). 

129. Ne -wette hyre fyngres. The use of knives and forks at 
table is one of the refinements of modern civilization; cf. " He 
that dippeth his hand with me in the dish." Matt. xxvi. 23. 

130. keepe, sc. cowde sche = she knew how to take care. A. S. 
cepan=\.o take, to attempt, to regard, heed, keep. 

To take keep^\.o take care. " He that keepeth [i.e., careth 
for] Israel shall not slumber nor sleep." Ps. cxxi. 4. See K., 
1380. 

132. leste = pleasure, that to which she gave attention. The 
verb as well as the noun lust in E.E. simply denoted pleasure, 
and was not restricted to base passion as at present. With the 
second meaning given above, cf. listless. 

\'i^^. ferthiiig, literally, a fourth part; hence any small por- 
tion. For the same tendency to restrict a definite part to mean- 
ing a small part, cf. /zV^e = tenth, z«<??V/y = one-half. 

135. dronken, p.p. drunk. A.S. drincan, p. dranc, p.p. drun- 
cen. The pret. and p.p. of this class of verbs should be carefully 
distinguished. 

136. Ful sem-e-ly, very prettily, becomingly. 

raa^^/e = reached, pret. of recke. This old pret. is obso- 
lete, and a new one has been formed after the analogy of weak 
verbs. 



Il6 NOTES TO THE PEOLOGUE. 

137. of gret disport, attributive genitive; cf. "He is a man 
of means." She was verj fond of gajety. 

139. peynede kt'fe = t(iok pains. The reflexive use of this verb 
is obsolete. 

to countrefete cheere =^ \.o imitate the manner. The idea of 
imitation for a fraudulent purpose, which now attaches to coun- 
terfeit, is wanting in E.E., where counterfeit not unfrequentlj 
denotes a portrait. 

140. estatlich, like one possessed of an estate ; hence statelj, 
high-bred. 

court. " Cohors or Cors was first used in the sense of a hur- 
dle, an enclosure, a cattle yard. The co/iortes, or divisions of 
the Roman armj', were called by the same name; so many 
soldiers constituting a pen or a court. Thus cors, cortis, from 
meaning a pen, a cattle-yard, became in mediaeval Latin 
Curtis, and was used, like the German Hof, of the farms and 
castles built by Roman settlers in the provinces of the Em- 
pire. Lastly, from meaning a fortified place, curtis rose to the 
dignity of a royal residence, and became synonymous with 
palace." Max Miiller, Sci. Lang., 269. 

141. to ben kolden^to be considered. 

142. but^^&tiW further, indicating simply a change in the 
point of view. But is in A.S. butan for bi-utaii, that is ^y- 
out^^W\'Cs\o\xt=^ near- but- out. It gradually loses its adversative 
force, and becomes a simple conjunction. 

for to sfeken, the gerund or verbal noun. We would now 
say speaki?ig, &c., using the independent participial construction. 

144. If tkat='\i so be that; if it happened that. Accord- 
ing to this explanation, that is the sentence article, belonging 
to the sentence she saw, Sic, which is the subject of the sup- 
plied verb. This explanation will also apply to the other cases 
where t/iat follows a conjunction. 

146. of smale kou?ides, a partitive genitive; cf. A.S. " Ic 
haebbe his her" = I have some (of it) here. Perhaps, however, 
this is an imitation of the French idiom. The A.S. generally 
uses the genitive, sometimes the preposition of 

147. toastel breed ^ fine white bread. Dogs were usually fed 
on coarse lentil bread baked for that purpose. 

148. But =^s.nd; it is equivalent to an emphatic conjunction, 
its adversative force calling especial attention to the new partic- 
ular. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. II7 

Scan : But so | re wepte [ sch' if oon | of hem | were deed. 

149. mefi, the indefinite pronoun {one), now unfortunately 
obsolete. It is also written me, which must be carefully dis- 
tinguished from the dat. and ace. of/. 

s7not, pret. singular; the plural would be smite. So in A.S. 
he smot, we smiton. 

yerde^=ii stick, a rod. A.S. gyrd, geard. This word means : 
(i) an enclosed place (Goth, garda, a gard or fold, gards, a 
house), a garden; (2) the means by which such enclosure is 
effected, i.e., palings or sticks; (3) finally, the word comes to 
denote a lineal measure determined by the usual length of such 
palings. So, also, rod has passed to denote a measure of dis- 
tance ; and rood, a measure of area. 

152. /re/ys^^^ slender, well-proportioned. 

" Her face gentil and tretise." Rom. R., 1016. 

Eyen^eye?,. A remnant of the it declension of nouns ; cf. 
oxen, chicken, kine. 

255. a spanne broad, ace. of measure. 

tro7ve^ think, should' think. 

156. hardily, assuredly, certainly. Hard originally denotes 
strength (cf. hardy'), thence reliability. 

157. I was -waar, I was aware, I observed. 

159 peire^=ix set; used to denote anything, the parts of 
which, or the natural divisions of which, are equal to each 
other. 

bedes = he?id&, a rosary. Bead is derived from the A.S. btd- 
dan, Ger. beteii, to pray; it means: (i) a prayer; (2) a string 
of balls upon which the tale or tally of prayers was kept : hence 
the phrase " to tell one's beads "^ to say one's prayers. 

gauded al -with grene, with green gaudes. The gaudees were 
large beads upon the rosary indicating a Pater Noster. 

160. brock = '■'■ broock, signified: (i) a pin; (2) a breastpin? 
(3) a buckle or clasp ; (4) a jewel or ornament. It was an orna- 
ment common to both sexes. The ' crowned A.' is supposed to 
represent Amor or Charity, the greatest of all the Christian 
graces." M. 

162. Amor vincit omnia, Love (charity) conquers (surpasses) 
all things. 

163. Another Nonne. Tyrwhitt says: "No nun could be a 
chaplain." Probably a nun who assisted her in her duties as 
prioress, and called a chaplain from the analogy. 



Il8 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

164. cha;pellyn. This word may be used here as equivalent to 
assistant. Tjrwhitt, however, rejects these two lines as interpo- 
lations, because of the difficulty mentioned above. According 
to Spelman, the word chapel has passed through the following 
significations : (i) a chest or coffer, in which the relics of martyrs 
were preserved ; (2) a building in which these capellae of relics 
were kept; (3) a place of prayer, because of the peculiar sanctity 
of such places. Accordingly the word ckaplahi would pass 
through corresponding changes, and would mean : (i) a keeper 
of such a cofter of relics ; (2) one whose duty it was to superin- 
tend the building in which the coffer was kept, or that part of 
the building in which the shrine was erected ; (3) one whose 
duty it was to read prayers. Inferior clergy can read prayers, 
while no one but a consecrated priest can celebrate mass. Hence 
the idea of inferiority would naturally attach to the word chap- 
lam, and the word might come in time to denote a servant in a 
religious house. The same idea of inferiority attaches to a chapel 
as compared with a church. Webster's Dictionary gives another 
derivation of chapel : "Originally a short cloak, hood, or cowl, 
a sacred vessel, chapel. It is said that the king of France in 
war carried St. Martyn's hat into the field, which was kept in a 
tent as a precious relic, whence the place took the name capella, 
a little hat, and the priest who had the custody of the tent was 
called capellanus, now chaplain.'" Wedgwood says, and we think 
with good reason, alluding to the foregoing derivation: "But 
we have no occasion to resort to so hypothetical a derivation. 
The canopy or covering of an altar where mass was celebrated 
was called capella., a hood. . . . And it can hardly be doubted 
that the name of the canopy was extended to the recess in a 
church in which an altar was placed, forming the capella or 
chapel of the saint to whom the altar was dedicated." 

165. a fair for the maistrie^^z. fair one for the position of 
master. " The phraseyb/' the maistre is equivalent to the French 
pour la maistrie, which in old books of physic was applied to 
such medicines as we usually call sovereign [specific] or excel- 
lent above all others. In the same sense the monk is said to be 
fair for the maistrie — above all others." T. 

166. An Out-rydere =one who rides after the hounds in hunt- 
ing. Out in composition often denotes to a great degree, intensi- 
fying the word to which it is joined; cf. <?«/-a«</-(?a/= thoroughly ; 
utter, &c. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 1 19 

venerye = hunting ; a practice of the monks which occasioned 
great scandal. 

"And these abbotes and priours don agein here rihtcs ; 
Hii riden wid hauk and hound, and contrefeten knihtes." 

Pol. Songs, 329. 

167. to ben, inf., construed with able. 

to ben an abbot able. His qualifications for this holy office 
afford a fine opportunity for Chaucer's satire. In a similar strain 
of satire we speak of corpulent men as "fit for aldermen." 

168. Ful ma,^j a. Ma?iy must be construed as an adverb 
modifying a, which is here equivalent to the numeral one. In 
semi-Saxon (Layamon) we find the two words joined ; nom. 
mo7iienne^ gen. moniennes. In illustration of this use of a, cf. 
" With him ther wente knyghtes many oon." K., 1260. " Of fees 
and robes hadde he many oon." P., 317. " In the same way the 
Germans say mayicher (adj.) Mann., but solch (adv.) ein Mann. 
In A.S. the idiom was ' many man,' not ' many a man.' " Abbott, 
Shak. Gr., § 85. At present the use of the article is simply to 
allow the word many to stand with a singular noun; in such 
cases many a = many times a, causing the word to be taken dis- 
tributively; while many used with the plural would denote the 
collective use of the noun to which it belonged. The distribu- 
tive use is more intensive, as it fixes the attention upon the 
unit. The force of the expression has caused it to be retained, 
although its true syntax is no longer obvious. 

stable., article omitted. 

169. bridel heere gynglen. The verb heere governs bridel 
gynglen as its object. The infinitive when construed as a noun 
retains its verbal force. Bridel is the ace. subject of gynglen, 
"After verbs of perceiving . . . and some others, the logical 
object is the infinitive clause." March, § 293. "Anciently no 
person seems to have been gallantly equipped on horseback, 
unless the horse's bridle or some other part of the furniture was 
stuck full of small bells. Wiclif, in his Trialoge, inveighs 
against the priests for "their fair hors and jolly and gay sad- 
eles, and bridles ringing by the way." Warton, 167. 

170. Gynglen, inf. jingling. Tyrwhitt reads gyngeling. Pro- 
long the first foot=^-/«^-ling. 

171. loude and cleere are adverbs. 
doth, sc. gynglen. 

172. There a5 = there where =: where. In such expressions 



I20 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

as was probably added to indicate the relative force of what 
otherwise might be taken for the demonstrative adverb ; cf. 
whereas (Shak.) ^ where that. In E.E. there and then are used 
in cases where we would write -where and when ; the former 
being in E.E. both demonstrative and relative, and the latter 
being interrogative. As is added to all the interrogative adverbs 
to render them relative, and may have also been added to those 
which by their form were either demonstrative or relative, to 
determine their relative character, or the addition may have 
been due to the force of analogy. 

173. Maure — Beneyt ^=^'A.\xr — Benedict. St. Maur was a 
disciple of St. Benedict. The rule (discipline) of these saints 
was the oldest, and consequently the strictest form of discipline 
in the Catholic church. 

174. Bycaicse /^«/' = because, for the reason that; cf. "by the 
cause." K., 1630. In compounds where ^j/ precedes, it is changed 
to be; as, before^ behifid^ beside; where it follows, it retains its 
form ; as, thereby, hereby, 8lc. The prefix be, in English verbs, 
stands in the place of three prefixes originally distinct: (i) be, 
the intensive prefix, as bereave (Goth., biratibon) ; (2) the inten- 
sive or collective prefix ge, as believe, Ger. glauben (Goth., ga- 
laubjan); (3) the preposition by, as hQ.come.=^ by-come. Be in 
the ist and 3d cases was undoubtedly originally the same, de- 
noting nearness, hence intensity. 

that refers to cause considered as a noun; cf. "In the place 
that the tree falleth ' = where the tree faUeth, or, as it would be 
in E.E., nvhere that; cf. also therefore ^^ior this, that. 

somdel= somewhat. We still say " a good deal." 

176. trace. Other readings are space, pace. 
To hold the trace = to follow the track. 

177. of that text. That which suggests a mental state is in 
A.S. put in the genitive. The statement of the act in this case 
is but an expressive way of showing his utter contempt for the 
strict discipline of the early monks. Of is here equivalent to 
concerning. 

a pulled hen. "A moulting hen, a worthless hen, because 
neither laying eggs nor fit for food." M. " The French poulet, 
which then meant a young child, is Anglicized into something 
which looks like the participle of the verb to pull in the Prol- 
ogue, 177." Earle's Philology. Neither of these explanations 
appears to me satisfactory. I think it means a hen reduced to a 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. I 21 

mere skeleton, — as we saj^, "mere skin and bones." The word 
is variously written pulled, peeled., pilled, pollid, and is probably 
allied to French ^/7/<?r, to plunder, and hence figuratively = poor. 
" Thou must not pil and powle the tenant." Latimer, vii. Ser. 51, 
Arber. 

"Thus ye derid hem unduly with droppis of anger, 
And stonyed him with stormes that stynted nevere, 
But plucked and pulled hem anon to the skynnes, 
That the ffresing ffrost ffreted to here hertis." 

Dep. Ric, 12. 

"A nation scattered and peelled." Is. xviii. 2. Some derive 

the word from depilatus, bald. "And if it is a foul thing to a 

womman to be pollid, or to be maad ballid." Wiclif, i Cor. xi. 6. 

"As pyled as an ape was his skulle." C. T., 3933. 

"With skalled browes blake and piled herd." P., 627. 

178. That seith, that. First that, rel. pron. referring to text; 
second that, sentence article, modifying the sentence wliich is the 
object oi seith. 

110071= not at all, in no case: an emphatic negative = no 
one. It must be explained as an adverbial accusative. 

179. recckeles ^Yec\i\es% : regardless of the laws of his order. 
Tyrwhitt supposes Chaucer to have written reghelles (A.S. regol^ 
rule) =without rule, but the other explanation suits the context 
better. 

180. is likened^ is to be likened to : is like to. 

wa^e^/e5 = out of water. Words in less are now used only 
subjectively. 

181. This is to 5<?y«=that is to say. Philosophically, it is 
more correct to use the near demonstrative in such cases, but 
our present idiom is fixed otherwise. 

to seyn, predicate with is. 
a ino7ik, &c., sc. is likened. 

182. -ivorth, an abbreviated form of worthy, which in A.S. was 
followed by a gen. of price. We have retained this construction 
with -ivorthy ; with vjorth, however, we use, as here, the ace. of 
definition. 

183. I seide = l should say. Subj. pret. 
opinioun, trissyllabl^. 

good. The usual etymology refers this word to the same root 
as God, with the original meaning of moral excellence. It is, 
however, probable that the resemblance is only accidental, and 



122 NOTES TO THE FROLOOUE. 

that the original force of good is given more nearly in this pas- 
sage, — an opinion that xvill hold. 

184. H^^a/ = why, wherefore, Lat. ^«/V/. Common in Shak- 
speare. 

studie, inf. The auxiliary verbs are followed by the infini- 
tive, although they have degenerated into hardly more than 
modal or tense signs. 

himselven, ace. sing. For dative, see 1. 528. As we inflect 
self only in the plural, v does not occur in the sing. 

■wood, crazy, mad. This root is preserved in Wednesday 
(Wodensday), so named from the A.S. god Woden, — the Raging 
one, — an appropriate designation for the god of war. Scot, ivud, 
mad, distracted, wild. *' An' just as wud as wud can be." Burns. 
185. To powre = to T^ore, to h& construed vf \th. sttidz'e. "Why 
should he devote himself (study, cf. Lat. studere) to poring over 
books in a cloyster, and make himself mad.'"' 

186. swynhe = \a.hor, inf., construe with what schulde, 1. 184. 
This word is now obsolete, although used hy Milton. 

187. How schal, &c. A fine bit of special pleading, or sar- 
casm. This whole passage is punctuated differently; some place 
an exclamation point after what, and only commas until dyt P 
Morris prints a full stop after poure. With the first pointing, 
which seems to give the easiest reading, the sense would be 
"what! should he study, &c., how shall the world be served." 
With this pointing, schulde and sivynke will be subjunctives. 
With the pointing given in our text, " How schal," &c., is rather 
an assertion under cover of a question = if he should study, &c., 
the world could not be served. 

188. " Let Austin keep his labor for himself." 

iS<). prtcasotir = 2L hard rider. Literally "a spurrer," one 
who rode with " whip and spur." 

arig'ht^^ on right ^=^ indeed. We now use downright with a 
similar force. 

190. Scan : Greyhoundes | he hadde | as swifte | as fowel | in 
flight. 

fowel, pi. = birds. Now usually restricted to domesticated 
birds. 

192. Was al his lust= his pleasure was wholly. 
for no cost, &c. = " for no expense would he abstain from 
these sports." M. Perhaps, better, "he would on no account 
refrain, — for no reason. The verb cost is sometimes used figu- 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 1 23 

ratively as nearly equivalent to cause; e.g., " Slavery cost the 
country a four years' war." So also needes-cosi^= for the reason 
of need; on account of necessity. 

193. purfiled, embroidered. Purfil (subst.) signifies the em- 
broidered or furred trimming of a dress ; hence the verb comes 
to have the general meaning to or7iame7it. 

atte = at the. 

194. that^ so. which was. Or and that may be explained as an 
emphatic conjunction = and that too. 

195. Hood. "With an hode on his hed, a lousi hatte aboue." 
P.P. V. 195. 

197. love-knott an intricate knot, typical of an indissoluble 
union. Such minute touches of description reveal the charac- 
ter of the monk with a wonderful life-likeness. 

198. baUed^=ha.\d. "The original meaning seems to have 
been: (i) shining; (2) white." M. "Smooth as a ball." T. 
"Besides signifying void of hair, bald is used in the sense of 
having a white mark on the face." Wedgwood. Cheap whiskey 
which fires the face is called bald-face'(sQe Bartlett's Diet. Am.), 
in which the O.E. bal, a blaze, is clearly recognizable. 

199. And eek connects face with the subject oi sckon, as though 
^it had been separately expressed. 

anoynt = anointed, p.p. Verbs ending in <^ or / contract the 
ending ed : (i) by dropping the d or t ; (2) by transposing the 
letters ed and uniting the consonants; (3) or by transposing 
the letters of the termination: e.g., bilte ^huilded; caste = 
casted ; let = letted ; fedde^ feded. 

200. lord, a title of honor, like Sir, given to persons of su- 
perior rank, and to monks. 

in good point, a translation of the French embonpoint, — ro- 
tundity of figure. 

201. ey^« 5/ee^ = bright eyes. 

" Stepe stayred stones of his stoute throne." E.E. Al. Poems, 
ii. 1396. 

rollyng in his keede, quick in their movements ; cf. Gr. e^Konfj, 
a frequent epithet of youths. 

202. That, rel. pron. pi. relating to eje«. "That shone like 
the fire under a caldron." 

203. bootes souple. The term boot at first probably denoted 
a brogan or moccason, a bag of leather laced on the instep. Prob- 
ably so named from their being made of the entire skin of the 
animal ; cf. bottle. 



124 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

10^. Jorpyiicd goost=^^ spirit wasted away by punishment. 
The force of ybr in composition (Ger. ver) is opposition, dete- 
rioration, &c. The Greek Trapa is similarly used, and (being 
from the same root) affords a good explanation of the prefix. 
Ilajoa means along side of: hence as a prefix denotes that which 
fails of coming up to a certain mark. 

207. broufi, connected with hyrnan^ to burn. 

berye. Bhaksh in Sanskrit = to eat: hence Lat. bacca, Goth. 
basj'a (A.S. beria)^ a berry. What a wonderful revelation of the 
primitive condition of man is given in the simple fact that the 
word {or food is berrj^, — that which grows of its own accord ! 

208. The foiire Ordres^ere : (i) The Dominicans, or preach- 
ing friars ; (2) The Franciscans, or Gray Friars ; (3) The Car- 
melites, or White Friars ; (4) The Augustine (Austin) Friars. 

wan^oziu = free; literally, untrained, unrestrained : -wan = uni 
i^07ven^= trained. " Schomeleas is the mon . . , that deth eni 
untoweschipe " = that doeth any wanton act. An. R., 170; cf. 
"Ne [beon heo] so fulitowune "= be they never so coarse. lb., 
244. 

209. solempne^= festive. The word literally means annual, 
and originally denoted those religious ceremonies which were 
celebrated annually : hence the word comes to have two mean- 
ings, — (i) demanding reverence; (2) festive. The latter meaning 
is obsolete. The p was inserted to facilitate the pronunciation 
of both fn and n; having dropped the/, we only sound the m. 

211. daliaunce and fair la ngage ^ gossip and flattery. 

213. wymmen. In earl'y times the sexes were distinguished by 
their occupations. Men were called the "weapon side" of the 
family; women, the " spindle side." The first gave rise to ivep- 
men ; the second to wif-men, the weaving men. 

at his oivfie cost. The marriage settlement proposed by th^ 
friends of the bride was one of her chief attractions. Pepys (in 
his Diary, 1662) mentions his objections to the small dowry of 
a lady proposed for his brother, and broke off the match on this 
account. He also gave his sister £600 as her dowry. 

214. Scan : Unto | his ordr ' | he was | &c. 

Post, support, pillar, " Originally k post was something pos- 
ited or placed firmly in the ground, such as an upright piece of 
wood or stone. . . . As a /J^5^f would often be used to mark a fixed 
spot of ground, as in a mile-post, it came to mean the fixed or ap- 
pointed place, where the post was placed, as in a military post, 



NOTES TO THE PROLOOVE. 1 25 

the post of danger or honor, &c. The fixed places where horses 
were kept in readiness to facilitate rapid travelling during the 
times of the Roman Empire were thus called ;posts, and thence 
the whole system of arrangement for the conveyance of persons 
or news came to be called the posts. The name has retained an 
exactly similar meaning to the present day in most parts of 
Europe; and we still use it in post-chaise, post-boy, post-horse, 
postilion. A system of post conveyance for letters having been 
organized for about two centuries in England and other countries, 
this is perhaps the meaning most closely associated with the 
word post at present, and a number of expressions have thus 
arisen : such as, post-office, postage. . . . Curiously enough we 
now have iron letter-posts, in which the word post is restored 
exactly to its original meaning." Jevon's Logic, 34. From the 
notion fixed or placed^ the word easily passes to the idea of sup- 
port or any thing placed under. 

216. cuntre^cowxitxy. " Gegeiid in German means region 
or country. It is a recognized term; and it signified originally 
that which is before or against, what forms the object of our 
view. Now, in Latin, gegeiid or against, would be expressed by 
contra ; and the Germans, not recollecting at once the Latin 
word regio, took to translating their idea of Gegefid, that which 
was before them, hy contratum \_coiitra\ or terra co?itrata. This 
became the Italian contrada, the French cofitree, the English 
coujitry." Max Miiller, Sc. of L., 291. 

The travelling friars were alwaj's welcome guests at the 
houses of men desirous of information, as they alone were pos- 
sessed of any knowledge of foreign countries ; and besides the 
current news of the day, which no other class had such means 
of hearing, they were acquainted with science both experimental 
and practical. 

217. wortki, noble, distinguished : contrasted in rank with 
ih^frankleyns, and as to residence, in town, as opposed to the 
country. 

toun (A.S. t7i?i), properly a plot of ground enclosed by an 
hedge (A.S. tynan, to close) ; many dwellings enclosed; that is, 
a village. The word for city is burk (from beorgan, to protect), 
which denoted a number of dwellings surrounded by a wall. 
Wiclif uses toun in the sense of field : " I have bought a toun." 
Luke xiv. 18. From this root we have tunnel, an enclosed 
space. 



126 NOTES TO THE PROLOOUE. 

2i8. confessioun, quadrisyllable. 

219. more than a curat. A curate could not grant absolution 
in all cases. 

220. licentiat. He was a licentiate of his order; that is, he 
had license from the Pope to grant absolution in all cases. 

224. Ther as he iviste han = in those cases where he knew he 
would have. Han, inf., contracted from haven; ace. subject 
omitted. 

pttafice, literally == a mess of victuals given in charity; hence 
a £^ift for a religious purpose. " An extraordinary allowance of 
victuals given to monastics in addition to their usual commons." 
T. Sometimes an addition allowed to the portion of a single 
person, and hence denoting any small portion. 

225. For — for to give. The fiYBt for is a conjunction; the 
second with to, the sign of the gerund. In this case we would 
still use the gerundial construction; as, " For, giving unto a 
poor order, is a sign," &c. 

226. signe^=2L sign. In E.E. the article is often omitted, 
where our present idiom requires it. Nouns were then rather 
the names of things than of conceptions. So Spenser, F. Q^, I. 
vi. Title: — 

" Fayre Una is releast whome salvage nation does adore." 
is well i-schrive^^\% worthily shriven; has been worthily 
absolved. 

227. he gaf he. The first he refers to the penitent, the second 
to the friar. 

Dorste make avau7it=h& felt confident; literally, he dared 
to make a boast. 

229. of his herte, &c.= is so hard-hearted. This construction 
is the A.S. genitive of part in which the quality is conceived ; it 
is equivalent to the Latin ablative of limitation ; e.g., pedibus 
aeger. 

230. He may not wepe = he is not able to weep. The literal 
meaning oi may is to be able. A.S. magan. " Thei schulen not 
mowe." Luke xiii. 24, Wiclif. They shall not be able. A. V. 
So also in the preterite : 

" His felaw Aristippus hight 
Which mochel couthe and mochel might." 

Gower's Con. Am., iii. 160. 
although, emphatic form of though, which is a derivative of 
the demonstrative pronoun ; the ugh is the intensive pronominal 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 127 

particle; Goth. tih. Lat. ce. Though is therefore equivalent to 
Lat. quanqtcatn. 

hz'm sore smerie^= it might pain him severely: he might be 
truly penitent. 

I/im, ace. after synerte. 

231. in stede = in place. Now usually written together. 

232. Men moo^ = one must. 

233. typet. " When the order degenerated, the friar combined 
with the spiritual functions the occupation of peddler, huckster, 
mountebank, and quack doctor." Brewer (quoted by Morris). 

234. tvyfes, dat. pi. of wtf. 

'235. noote^ \oicQ for singing. Note (Lat. notus) is: (i) a 
mark by^whieh anything may be known ; (2) (in music) a mark 
designating certain sounds ; (3) by metonomy, such a sound ; 
(4) a musical voice, — a voice capable of making the notes. 

236. couthe he 5y«^e = knew he how to sing. Synge and 
pleyen, inf. depending upon couthe. 

ro/e = a musical instrument. " Notker says that it was the 
SLUcient psalteri'um, but altered in shape and with an additional 
number of strings." T. 

237. yeddynges (dissyllable) = romances or poetic tales, pop- 
ular songs. 

utterly = from every one : wholly, to the utmost. 

238. flour-de-lys^= lily. 

239. Zl^^r/t? = besides, literally = to this. 

240. He kjiew the taverjies tvel, a recommendation as a fellow 
traveller. 

241. tappestere = t?t.^^ter. The termination 5/ere, 5/gr, denotes 
a feminine agent, although in the fourteenth century it was not 
always thus used ; this may have arisen from the gradual trans- 
fer to men of certain avocations which in more warlike times 
belonged exclusively to women. The gradual loss of the idea of 
gender in this sufRx would indicate the decadence of that state 
of society in which the husband was styled the waepman (weapon- 
man), and the introduction of a higher civilization. We have 
also formed a class of words by analogy, in which, however, 
something of the original idea of feminine inferiority is pre- 
served; 2LS, you7zgster. We find in O.E. breivstere., ivebbestere 
(mas. ivebbe)^ forestere, huckstered &c. We still use spinster as 
a feminine. In the case of songster we have made a double 
feminine by adding the French suffix ess. This termination is 



128 NOTES TO THE PBOLOGUE. 

by some referred to the Sanskrit stri, meaning woman : but the 
ending ter in all languages of our family signifies the agent or 
doer; e.g., Sansk. peiar, Lat. pater, Gr. naTi/p, Goth, fadar, 
Ger. vaier, Icel. fadir, A.S. faeder, Eng. fatker=^t\\e. one who 
feeds or supports. It is not impossible that an inorganic s may 
have been added, thus giving rise to a masculine ster. 

243. ivorthi here refers to social standing; cf. the expression, 
" worshipful sir." 

as he, sc. was. 

244. Accordede fiot= it did not comport with his dignity. 
The subject of accordede is to kan, &c., in the next line. 

as by his faculte ^= as tending to lessen his influence. 
by here = against ; cf. "I know nothing by myself." i Cor. iv. 
4; i.e., against myself. 

245. sike, pi. of sick. This use of sick is now called an Amer- 
icanism, the English restricting the meaning of the word to 
nausea. 

246. " It is not becoming, it may not profit one to associate 
(have dealings) with such poor people." This is in explanation 
of 11. 243, 244. 

honest is here used in its Latin signification ^honorable. 

247. Scan : Fo-r | to del | en with | no such | poraille. 
Delen, to share, to have intercourse with. A.S. daelan, to 

divide. Hence, as in all coinmercial transactions there is a 
sharing of values, the word easily came to have its present 
meaning of doing business. We (/ea/ with the grocer; that is, 
we give him 3. part of our money for a part of his goods. For 
in this construction seems only to indicate the gerund : it has 
not the force of a preposition, as to delen is the subject of 
the sentence. It may possibly be construed as a conjunction 
introducing the sentence, but thrown out of its natural place by 
the exigencies of the metre. 

248. «/= altogether. 

ricke^t\xQ rich, pi. adj. The language, because of the loss 
of inflection in adjectives, does not allow the omission of the 
article in cases like this. 

sellers of vitaille=^ those who would give him his livelihood. 
Sellers here means givers; cf. " Syle tham the the bidde." 
Matt. V. 42. Give to him that asketh. 

249. Scan : And o | v'ral ther | &c. 
schulde = might, subj. pret. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 129 

a^/5e ^ come back, A figure taken from the "coming up" 
of seed. He was courteous where it would pay. 

250. loively of service = humble in performing his services. 

251. Notice the negatives ti'as no man noivlier. 

Ve r^uous = nct'ive, energetic, diligent. From Lat. vi'r, a man. 
Virtue is therefore manliness, or manhood, which at first was 
synonymous with physical bravery, afterwards applied figura- 
tively to denote moral courage in resisting evil, and finally it 
has been applied to the spirit which resists the sins to which 
one is peculiarly exposed. What a revelation of character is 
given by the employment of this word ; as, virtuoso, to desig- 
nate one skilled in ornamental arts; or vertu, to denote articles 
whose only use is ornament! 

252. beggere, beggar. That is, a man with a bag, which was 
the usual sign of a mendicant. It is a curious and instructive 
fact that this word is not from the A.S. ; cf. " Scheome, ich 
telle. . . . uorte beggen ase on harlot." An. R., 356. 

253. Oo sc7ioo=2l shoe. Some read a sou, a half-penny. 
Scan : For though ] a wid \ ew' had | de noght | 00 schoo. 

254. In principio. The beginning of St. John's Gospel in 
the Vulgate. 

256. purchas — Rente = proceeds of begging ; regular income. 
toel better = much better. 

257. rage and pleyen are inf. depending upon couike. 

258. love-dayes. Days appointed upon which differences might 
be settled by arbitration, without recourse to law. These arbi- 
trators were usually chosen from the clergy, who thus had a 
fine opportunity of enriching themselves, — an opportunity of 
which they were not slow to take advantage. "Mr. Kitchin sug- 
gests that these private days of peace are analogous to the truga 
del, — truce of God, — so often proclaimed by bishops between 
A.D. 1000 and 1300. This truce lasted from 3 p.m. Saturday to 
6 A.M. on Monday." M. Perhaps, however, the word may be 
nothing more than a corruption of law-days, — the days on which 
sheriffs held their courts. "They [the lawyers] follow Sises and 
Sessions, Letes, Laivdays and Hundredes." Latimer, vii Ser. 53, 
Arber. Z,e^e5=town courts : hundredes = co\xxts for the hundreds. 
The fact that Lawdays, or days upon which terms of court opened, 
were usually determined by the festivals of the church, would 
facilitate this confusion. " It was ordered by the laws of King Ed- 
ward the Confessor, that from Advent to the octave of the Epipha- 





I30 NOTES TO THE FROLOGUE. 

ny, from Septuagesima to the octave of Easter, from the Ascension 
to the octave oi Pentecost, and from three in the afternoon of 
all Saturdays till Monday morning, the peace of God and of 
holy church shall be kept throughout all the kingdom. And so 
extravagant was afterwards the regard that was paid to these 
holy times that . . . Britton is express that in the reign of King 
Edward the First no secular plea could be held, nor any man 
sworn on the Evangelists in the times of Advent, Lent, Pente- 
cost, harvest and vintage, the days of the great litanies, and all 
solemn festivals. But he adds that the bishops did nevertheless 
grant dispensations . . . that assizes and juries might be taken 
in some of these holy seasons. . . . The portions of time that 
were not included within these prohibited seasons fell naturally 
into a fourfold division, and, from some festival day that im- 
mediately preceded their commencement, were denominated the 
Terms of St. Hilary, of Easter, of the Holy Trinity, and of St. 
Michael. . . . There are in each of these terms stated days called 
days in bank; that is, days of appearance in the court of common 
bench. They are generally at the distance of about a week from 
each other, and have reference to some festival of the church. 
On some one of these days in bank all original writs must be 
made returnable. . . . But on every return day in the term the 
person summoned has three days of grace, beyond the day 
named in the writ, in which to make his appearance." Black- 
stone, iii. 276. 

259. tker = on such occasions; i.e., in putting in pleas. 
There, being the dative of the demonstrative, may mean either 
in that place, or at that time. 

261. maister, chief, or head of a religious house. 

263. That rounded, &c. ^=^ that kept its shape round as a bell 
in a press or throng, — alluding to the shortness of the garment, 
which, upon the full figure of the friar, resembled a bell; and to 
the quality and abundance of the material, which kept its shape 
even in a press or crowd. 

265. To make his Rjiglissch swete, &c. To those ecclesiastics 
whose native language was French the English must have 
seemed harsh. We have rendered it much smoother than it 
was in the time of Chaucer by silencing the gutturals. 

266. ^«;'^j/??_^ probably = playing on any musical instrument. 
See line 236. 

268. don, pi. for doeji. This use oi do is common, but improper- 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 131 

Do can be used in place of the verb only by ellipsis, in which 
case the verb omitted can be restored from the preceding clause. 
We evidently cannot say "do twinkled," but we can say "We 
love because you do." Originally do could only be followed by 
the infinitive ; we have relaxed the rule so as further to allow 
the infinitive to be suggested by a different mode. The force of 
this rule is, that do must not be employed as an auxiliary and as 
a leading verb in the same sentence. 

269. cleped, called, monosyllable. Still retained in archaic 
English in the p. participle jc/(?/^. 

270. forked herd. A forked beard was the fashion at this 
time. 

271. high oil hors =erect upon his horse; cf. "He carries a 
high head." We say "on foot "or "a-foot;" but on horse is 
obsolete. We use the preposition with the gerund with the omis- 
sion of the article or relative word, as a-hunting. 

272. c/«/5e^= clasped. Connected with c//^, to embrace. The 
word clip is still used to denote an iron passing around the axle 
of a wagon. The tendency to shift the position of the letter 5 
appears in A.S. ; e.g., asce^ or «c5e, ashes ; asciaii or acsian, to 
ask, which is still vulgarly pronounced ax. 

/aire and fetysly^^VfeW and neatly. 

275. " Always having reference to the increase of his gains." 

^owwj^^e:^ boasting, sounding; having reference to ; cf. the 
legal phrase " Sounding in damages." 

thencres^=\.h& increase. The article (definitive) frequently 
coalesces with the defined word when such word begins with a 
vowel. The case endings of nouns were originally definitive 
words, which have coalesced with the stem form, in the same 
manner as the verbal endings, which were originally pronouns, 
have become attached to the stem. So long as the original force 
of these endings is felt, the subjects of verbs, when pronouns, are 
omitted, and definitive words are in like manner omitted in the 
case of nouns. In Early Saxon there is no article ; in Early 
English it is quite sparingly used : but when the real force of 
the inflectional endings was lost, the article and other definitive 
words have been introduced to supply their place. From this 
tendency to unite the article and noun in pronunciation, — a 
sort of inflection at the beginning of the word, — several curious 
forms have arisen; e.g., nonce, the initial n being the ace. ter- 
mination of the article ; so also, nokes (oaks), nale (ale). But one 



132 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

of the most curious instances is the Turkish name for Constan. 
tinople, — Stamboiil^ which is a corruption of the Greek «f rrjv 
7roAiv=: to the citj. The Turks frequently hearing this phrase, 
and not knowing its meaning, quite naturally took it to be the 
name of the city. 

276. tvere kept = \\Q. wished the sea to be watched or guarded 
" so that he should not suffer hova pirates or privateers." M. 

for eny tkinge^=2i\. all hazards, by all means. T^or here has 
the meaning 171 comparison with, in preference to. He wished 
the sea to be guarded in preference to any thing else. Morris, 
however, explains for by for fear of which does not seem to 
me satisfactory. 

277. Middelburgk, a port in the Netherlands. 
Orewelle, a port in Essex. 

278. " He knew how to give French crowns in exchange ; " that 
is, to act as a money-changer, a class of extortioners. 

scheeldes=^&\\\\\\n^s {shieldings). French crowns marked 
with a shield. 

279. Jtis rvit ^/5e//!e = employed his wits. Wit is here used 
somewhat as we still use the word to denote the mental faculties, 
but with a dash of contempt, as though they were put to an un- 
worthy use ; cf " A clerk had beset his while," Millere's Tale, 
= A clerk had employed his time. 

280. No man wiste, &c., a fine stroke of description. 

281. "So stately was he in his demeanor in his bargains, 
and in making his arrangements for borrowing money." Mor- 
ris explains so steadily, probably an error of the press. The idea 
is that he had such a confident air that, even when borrowing 
money, no man suspected that he was in debt. 

282. bargayns. " O. Fr. barguigner, to chaffer, bargain, or 
more properly (says Cotgrave) to wrangle, haggle, brabble, in 
the making of a bargain. The proper meaning of the word is 
contest, debate, and it was frequently used in O.E. and Scotch 
in the sense of fight, skirmish." ^yedgwood. 

283. witkalle, in spite of all, nevertheless. The original force 
of with = against, which is still retained in compounds; e.g., 
withstand, tvithhold. Withalle is simply an emphatic form of 
-with, and will vary in meaning as ivith varies. 

284. But introduces an unexpected clause : one would expect 
that being a -worthy man his name would be known. 

J not = l ne wot. I know not. The negative frequently com- 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 133 

bines with the following word; as, nam = nQ am, «a5 = ne was, 
naik= ne hath, nolde = ne wolde. 

meti him calle =^ wh^t one might call him, — what his name 
was. 

285. Clerk = a scholar, an educated person. This word 
affords an admirable illustration of the changes which the 
meaning of a word undergoes corresponding to certain changes 
in the objects designated by it. Clerk is originally the Greek 
KlrjpiKog, — literally, chosen by lot. It was in very early times 
applied to the clergy, because, as is supposed, Matthias was thus 
selected to be an Apostle. The word clergy is the same word 
derived thi-ough the Latin clericatus. During the Middle Ages 
the ecclesiastics were possessed of all the learning in the world, so 
that the word clerk became synonymous with learned person ; 
and, as the estimation of learning fell, it signified any one who 
could read; while clergie was used to denote learning, or men of 
learning. The word now signifies one whose chief employment 
is writing, or an attendant in a store, probably because writing 
was deemed an accomplishment essential to a shop-keeper, in 
keeping his accounts. 

Oxenford =^ Oxford, "as if the ford of the oxeji (A.S. Ox?ia- 
ford), but the root ox {esk, ouse) is of Celtic origin, and signifies 
-water.'''' M. Oxenford therefore means "the ford of the (river) 
Ouse." 

286. That unto logic, &c. Who for a long time had given his 
attention to logic. Literally, who had gone into logic, &c. 
We still speak of going into law or any other profession. The 
condition in which the study left the student is a satire upon the 
method of teaching logic then in vogue. 

286. He ; that is, the Clerk. 

288. right fat ^ \e.Yy fat- This use o^ right is a vulgarism at 
present, or confined to colloquial use. We say " right oft','' 
"right away." "A Southerner would say, 'It rains right 
hard.'" Bartlett's Diet. 

291. geten, p.p. = gotten, got. 

him, dative = for himself. 

benefice ■=^2lV\. ecclesiastical living. This word is the same with 
benefit (Lat. bene,facere), and originally signified an estate in 
lands granted for life only, and held at the good-will of the 
owner. It afterwards technically signified the grant of temporal 
authority by the Pope as a fee of the Roman see. Finally, 



134 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

upon the extinction of feudalism, it was restricted to religious 
livings. 

292. so worldly = sufficiently worldly : so is here equivalent 
to so as. 

293. JFor him ivas lever, &c. = For he would rather have. 
Literally, it was more agreeable to him to have, him, dative 
after lever. 

294. Scan : Twen | ty book | es clad | &c. Twenty was prob- 
ably pronounced V wenty. 

296. Z'^e» = than, ace. of the definitive; cf. Lat. quam. 
sawtrie= psaltery, a Greek instrument of music; cf. psalm, 

a hymn to be sung to the psaltery. 

297. al be = although it be; for al be it, usually written as 
one word, albeit. Sometimes we find al standing for this expres- 
sion. Be is here in the subjunctive, which accounts for the 
omission of though. "Albeit I do not say to thee." Phile- 
mon, 19. 

philosophre. There is a play here upon the word philoso- 
pher, which was used to designate an alchemist, who pretended 
to turn base metals into gold by the so-called " Philosopher's 
Stone," as well as a lover of learning, a student. 

298. hadde, which is usually a monosyllable, is here a dis- 
syllable. 

299. of his frendes = irom. his friends, genitive of source. 

301. gan preye = prayed, did pray. Gan is a contraction of 
began, and is used as a past auxiliary. 

302. gaf him, = gave to him. him, dative. It was not 
unusual at this time for students to support themselves at the 
universities by begging. 

■zvherwith = with what. This word is still in use in this 
sense, and finely exhibits the pronominal force of -where (dative 
of whaf) after the preposition with. 

306. high sentence = of great pith or meaning, 

307. sozvfiynge in moral vertu = in consonance with moral 
virtue. The word consonance preserves the figure, and perhaps 
gives the sense more accurately than the usual explanation tend- 
ing to, which would have reference to the hearers, rather than to 
the revelation of the speaker's virtue; cf. note, 1. 275. 

jnoral, from the Latin mos, manner, custom, habit, passes to 
the meaning correct manners, and right habits, — that which 
ought to be as well as that which is. 



NOTES TO TEE PROLOGUE. 135 

30S. This line aptly describes the true scholar. 

309. A Sergeant of Lawe = a lawyer of the highest rank. 
-'The degrees were those of barristers (first styled apprentices, 
from appre7idrc to learn), who answered to our bachelors; as 
the state and degree of a serjeant, servie7itis ad leg-e?n, did to 
ihat of doctor." Blackstone, i. 23. Sergeant is another form 
of servant, g in French words frequently becoming w or t; in 
English. 

war and u'V5e = cautious and skilful. 

310. That^^\\\o. 

Parvys. The portico of St. Paul's, where the lawyers were 
accustomed to meet for consultation. The frequency of his being 
at these consultations indicates his reputation and his practice. 

311. Ther. Used to introduce the sentence. Tt refers to the 
subject already ,"Tnentioned. 

312. of gret reverence = a person to whom great reverence 
was shown, entitled to great respect for his opinions. Genitive 
of quality or characteristic. 

313. He seinede siich = He appeared like a learned lawyer. 

314. Justice . . . in assize. "The judges upon their circuits 
now sit by virtue of five several authorities. ... 4. A commission 
of assize, directed to the justices and Serjeants therein named, to 
take (together with their associates) assizes in the several 
counties." Blackstone, i. 59. These assizes tried real-estate 
questions. 

315. patent signifies any letter open to public perusal, or 
addressed to the public A document conferring nobility is 
called Letters-patent of Nobility. In this country a document 
conveying full title to lands by the government, or granting an 
exclusive right to an invention, is called a patent. Patent here 
refers to his commission as serjeant; commission, to his appoint- 
ment to the assize. 

317. fees = money. This word originally signified cattle 
(cf. Lat. pecunia from peciis) ; then, as cattle were used as a 
medium of exchange, it signified money or the means of ex- 
change ; and as cattle generally constituted a person's property, 
it also signified property in general, whether cattle or not. 
Cattle being used in early times as a medium of exchange, it 
would seem from a passage in ^schylus, Ag. 36, that the value 
of coined money was at first regulated by the better known value 
of cattle. 



136 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

"Moreover King Servius, at the firste, when he made brazen 
coine, stamped the peeces with the portraiture of Sheepe, Kine and 
Oxen." Holland's Plinie, I. 550. 

318. purchasour = ^ros,QcVitor. Probably refers to his acts as 
king's counsel. 

319. fee sy;;?//^ = possession without restriction. Fee origin- 
ally denoting property, — that to which one had the right of 
possession, — naturally came to have the meaning of possession ; 
simple (Lat. shie plica, without a fold) means without any com- 
plications : hence fee symple would mean possession or a title, 
without any of the many complications to which real-estate titles 
in England are often subject. These courts of assizes were held 
for the purpose of trying landed questions, and the meaning here 
is, "No title was to him more difficult of decision than a case in 
fee-simple." 

320. His purchasyng-, &c. " His prosecutions might not be 
tainted with any suspicion of collusion." M. enfecte, as a legal 
phrase, means to contaminate with any illegality. 

323. In termes^= at the sessions of the court. See note, 1. 258. 
Caas and domes alle = He had full knowledge of all the cases 

and decisions rendered in the courts from the time of King Wil- 
liam ; i.e., William the Conqueror, a.d. 1066. 

324. ivere falle -■= were fallen or happened. Intransitives 
often form an aorist perfect with the auxiliary be. " When he 
was set." Matt. v. 2 (A.V.). "When he hadde sete." lb.; 
Wiclif. 

falle = happened. " Sit still until thou know how the matter 
will fall." Ruth iii. 18. 

325. endite^^teW a story. 

make a thing-=vfrite a poem. "A poet is as much as to say 
a maker. And our English name well conformes with the Greeke 
word; for of iroielv, to make, they call a maker poeta." Putten- 
ham's Arte of Poesy, cap. i (Arber). Prof. Earle, Philology 
of the English Tongue, p. 200, certainly against the weight of 
authority, explains this line thus : " In such a sense it is said by 
Chaucer that his Sergeaunt of Lawe could endite and make a 
THYNG, meaning, he could make a good contract, was a good 
conveyancer." Cf. Ger. dingen., to bargain. 

327. pleyn by roote, plead from memory. 

328. hoomly, dressed plainly, in the manner one would be 
dressed at home. The word implies the absence of ornament, 
and is analogically applied to the features. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 137 

329. G^>^= girded. Chaucer frequently contracts the preter- 
ites of verbs ending in d or /. 

330. telle I no lejiger tale = I make no further account 
" Litel tale hath he told Of eny drem." Nonne Preestes Tale, 
298. Little account made he of any dream. Telle and tale are 
from A.S. tella?i, to reckon. 

331. Fra7ikeleyn =^ a. wealthy freeholder; the only real dis- 
tinction between him and others of his class being the largeness 
of his estate. 

332. dayeseye = daisy : literally day's eye, Chaucer's favorite 
flower; upon the etymology of which he dwells with a lover's 
fondness. 

" Now have I than eke this condicioun 
That of alle the floures in the mede, 
Than love I most those floures white and rede. 
Such that men callen daisies in our toun." 

Legende of Goode Women, 40. 
" The longe day I shope me for to abide 
For nothing elles, and I shall nat lie 
But for to look upon the daisie 
That wel by reason men it calle male 
The Daisie or els the eye of the day." 

lb., 180. 
" Those who transferred the title to our little field flower 
meant no doubt to liken its inner yellow disk or shield to the 
great golden orb of the sun, and the white florets which encircle 
this disk to the rays which the sun spreads on all sides round 
him." Trench, St. of Words, 44. 

334. Scan : Wel lov | ede h'in | the mor | w' a sop | in wyn. 
sop in wyn, bread dipped in wine. Bacon says that sops in 

wine inebriate, quantity for quantity, more than wine itself, 
which probably accounts for the Frankeleyn's fondness. 

335. To lyven in delite ^^to live in luxury. "The gratification 
of the appetite for food is the most direct and universal of all 
pleasures, and therefore the one most likely to be taken as the 
type of delight in general." Wedgwood. 

336. oivne is used to heighten the idea of personal relation. 
The verbs to own and to owe are generally referred to the same 
root. A.S. agan (cf. Gr. exsiv'). The original verb took different 
forms to express different meanings, — the one denoting pecun- 
iary liability, the other moral obligation. "It may sound odd 



138 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

to speak of a man as ow 7iing' vfh^it he orves ; yet, if we will think 
of it, there are few things that can rightly be said to be more a 
man's own than his debts : thej are emphatically ^pro^er to him, 
or his proj)erty^ clinging to him, as they do, like a part of him- 
self. Again, that which a man owns in this sense, or owes, is 
that which it is proper for him, or which he has^ to perform or 
to discharge (as the case may be) ; hence the secondary mean- 
ing of ought as applied to that which is one's duty, or which is 
fitting," Craik, E. of S., p. 134. 

337. pleyti delyt= perfect physical enjoyment. 

339. a?/d that., emphatic conjunction, — that particularizing 
and thus emphasizing the added notion ; cf. Lat. cumque. See 
note, 1. 43. 

340. Seyiit Julian " was eminent for providing his votaries 
with good lodgings and accommodations of all sorts. In the 
title of his Legende, he is called 'St. Julian the gode herberjour' 
(entertainer)." T. 

341. alway after oon^dilvf ay?, the same; i.e., that is always 
equally good. 

342. envyned^^ stored with wine. Vine is from the French, 
and-wine from the A.S. It is instructive that all the words which 
denote the culture of the vine are of French, while words refer- 
ring to the product are of A.S. origin. 

343. Scan : Without | e bake | mete was | never' | his hous. 
Bake^=baken^hzk.ed. The p.p. ending in n dropped. 

345. Hit ^it, — the old form of the neuter pronoun. 
S?iewede.) pr. of snee, Prov. Eng., to abound. This is usually 

explained as a pret. of snow. 

mete and drynke, gen. of means. 

346. dey?itees, toothsome rarities, delicacies. W. daint, a tooth. 

347. After = according to. "Comfort us again now after 
[in proportion to] the time that thou hast plagued us." Ps. xc. 
15, Prayer-Book. 

348. mete — soper. Mete refers to food in general. Soper to 
delicacies or dessert. 

350. brem. 

" Lazy as the bream 
Whose only business is to head-up the stream, 
(We call 'em punkin-seed)." Lowell. 
steive, a small pond in which fish were kept for the table. 

351. Woo was his cook^ wo was it to his cook, &c. " Woe i» 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 139 

me." Is. vi. 5. His cook must here be construed in the dative, 
after an interjection. " Wa tham men." Wo to the man. Matt, 
xviii. 7; cf. Lat. vae victis. See March, A.S. Gr., § 298 {b). 
Morris explains, erroneously, as it seems to me, " sad was his 
cook." This explanation is faulty, as it describes the cook, 
while the other keeps before us the angry Frankeleyn. 

hut z/'=if-not; if being the true conjunction, the but used to 
negative the whole sentence. 

sauce. The Frankeleyn, being a high liver, would be fond 
of a highly seasoned sauce. This item became so expensive 
that, in the time of Edward III., a statute was passed prohibit- 
ing {inter alia) the use of sauce unless it could be procured at a 
moderate cost. 

353. table dormant. " Previous to the fourteenth century a 
pair of common wooden trestles and a rough plank was deemed 
a table sufficient for the great hall. . . . Tables with a board 
attached to a frame were introduced about the time of Chaucer, 
and from remaining in the hall were regarded as indications of a 
ready hospitality." Our Eng. Home, quoted by Morris. 

table is the Lat. tabula^ a board; hoard is the A.S. word 
(meaning an edge, a border), which is still in use to denote 
rather the uses of the article than the article itself; e.g., "board 
and lodging," " bed and board," " a hospitable board." The use 
of the word derived from the French to designate the article of 
furniture indicates the origin of the table. 

354. covered ; i.e., set with food. 

355. sessiouns ; i.e., of the court. "The freeholders of the 
county are the real judges in this [county] court, and the sheriff 
is the ministerial officer. ... In those times [Edward the 
Elder] the county court was a court of great dignity and splen- 
dour, the bishop and the earldorman (or earl) with the principal 
men of the shire sitting therein to administer justice." Black- 
stone, iii. 36. 

356. knight of the schire = a representative of a county in Par- 
liament. " The knights of the shire shall be chosen of people 
whereof every man shall have freehold to the value of forty shil- 
lings by the year within the county. . . . The knights of shires 
are the representatives of the landholders or landed interest of 
the kingdom." Blackstone, i. 172. 

" Shire is a district in England as it is separated from the rest; 
a share is a portion of any thing thus divided off; shears are in* 



140 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

struments effecting this process of separation ; the shore is the 
place where the continuity of land is interrupted or separated by 
the sea [better perhaps shore refers to the sharing off or sloping 
of the bank; a common provincial name for a gutter is a shore'] ; 
a shred is that which is sheared or shorn from the main piece; 
a sherd, — as a potsherd (also pot-share, Spenser), —that which 
is broken off and thus divided from the vessel." Trench on 
Words, 21S. Cf. also short, skirt, shirt. 

359. 5c/^/rr<?z'e = sheriff, i.e., reeve of the shire or county. 
A.S. gerefa, Ger. Graf. " He [the sheriff'] is the first man in 
the county, and superior in rank to any nobleman therein dur- 
ing his office." Blackstone, i. 343. 

countour ^ ■a.wdiitox , — one appointed to manage the fiscal 
concerns of the county. The former office indicates his popu- 
larity, this his reputation for honesty. 

361. Haberdassher. " Haberdashers were of two kinds, — 
haberdashers of small wares, sellers of needles, tapes, buttons, 
&c., and haberdashers of hats. The first of these would be well 
explained from O.N. hapicrtask, trumpery, things of trifling 
value. . . . The haberdasher of hats seems named from some 
kind of stuff called hapertas, of which probably hats were made." 
Wedgwood. 

Carpenter =^ d. worker in wood. This word is from the Latin, 
through the French. Lat. carpentarius from carpenttim, a wagon, 
— literally, a wagon-maker, hence a worker in wood : so we 
have house-carpenter, ship-carpenter, &c. 

362. Webbe = z. weaver (masculine); websier would be the 
feminine : there is, however, a confusion in the use of the termi- 
nations, — either word being used to denote either sex. 

363. lyvere^=\iYQry. Livery denotes what was delivered by 
the lord to his subordinates, whether it were money, food, or 
clothing. As regards clothing, it hence easily came to denote 
external marks of distinction, whether of servants, officers, or 
tradesmen. As regards food, it came to denote an allowance of 
food for horses, and thus a place where horses were kept. The 
accent shows the word to be still considered as French. 

Scan : Weren with | us eek | clothed in | 00 lyv | er6. 

364. fraternite = guild. Each trade had its guild (Dan. gilda, 
feast, see note, 1. 370) supported by a tax levied upon the mem- 
bers. These guilds were incorporated by the government and 
exercised great influence, These mechanics were masters. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 141 

365. apiked=\i.Q^t very neat. The word probably denotes 
that nicety of cleansing indicated by picking off particles with 
the fingers. " Too much ^/cZ'e</;/£?55 is not manly." B.Jonson. 

366. knyfes. As the gentleman had' a dagger (1. 357) the 
master-mechanics wore knives. 

/-c/^rt^e^= fitted with silver hooks to the scabbard. The noun 
chape is used by Shakspeare. 

367. silver. The fact that the scabbards, &c., worn by these 
mechanics were trimmed with silver, indicates that they were of 
a superior estate. 

Wrought ful c/e^ze ^wrought very delicately; of fine work- 
manship. 

368. pouches. The French form {pocke) of an A.S. word 
pocca, which we still use as poke ; cf. " Buy a pig in a poke," 
i.e., pocket. Pocket is a French diminutive o^ poke. The verb 
poach is from the French form ; e.g., " to poach eggs " = to cook 
them in a small dish like a pocket; to poach, i.e., to rob game = 
to put it in a pocket. The verb to poke, and the noun poke, de- 
noting a contrivance worn by animals to prevent their breaking 
out of an enclosure, is from another root, allied to Lat. pungere, 
to prick. 

370. yeldehalle=^2i Guild-hall. "The primary meaning [of 
guild] is a feast, then the company assembled ; and the same 
transference of signification will be observed in the word cojn- 
pany itself, which, signifying in the first instance a number of 
persons eating together, has come to be applied to an association 
for any purpose." Wedgwood. 

^ejv5 = dais. Dais denotes first a canopy placed over the heads 
of persons of distinction, then the raised platform at the end of 
the hall upon which sat persons of distinction. As the table 
was usually placed upon this platform, the term^a:/5 soon came 
to designate it; and, finally, the word included in its significa- 
tion all the ornaments of such platform; as, hangings, &c. 

371. Rverych^=^Q.2iQh. of them. Every is now used only as an 
adjective. 

that he can = that he knows, — is master of. 

372. schaply=^ fit. Froin the verb to shape, hence adapted. 

373. c«^e/= property. " Our English word cattle is derived 
from the Low Latin catall'a, a word of unknown etymology, sig- 
nifying movable property generally, or what the English law 
calls chattels." Marsh, Lect. E.L., 246. The origin of the word 



142 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

is undoubtedly Lat. capitale^ the principal sum in a loan, as dis- 
tinguished from the interest, and hence denoting movable prop- 
erty. See note, 1. 317; see also 1. 540. 

inougJi =^ QXioVi^. Go\h ganohs, in which ^a is the intensive 
particle, which leaves nauh (Ger. nock) still, yet, as the original 
word, if this be not an emphatic form of tia (jiakafi, to suffice) ; 
cf. Gr. vaiu — opcj valov uyyea, the pails were filled with curd. Od. 
ix. 222. 

renie= income from business or investments. See note, 1. 
256. They had property enough to entitle them to hold the 
office of alderman. 

374.^ zV, dative = to it. 

375. were^weren, dissyllable. Wright reads " hadde thei 
ben to blame." 

/<? blame, blamable. This phrase seems to preserve the force of 
the old gerund ; or it may be explained, with less reason, by the 
identity of meaning of to and at ; thus, to blame = at blame, at 
fault. But it is decidedly better to treat it as a gerund. 

376. right fair = exceedingly pleasant. 

madame, the title used in addressing the wife of one who was 
entitled to be called Sir. 

377. And for to gon. In this line I have followed Tyrwhitt's 
reading, with which Wright's substantially agrees. Morris omits 
" for to." 

vigiles =^ vigils : a religious service held on the evening pre- 
ceding an ecclesiastical holiday. Speght says : " It was the man- 
ner in times past upon festival evens, called vigils, for parishioners 
to meet in their church-houses or church-yards, and there to have 
a drinking fit for the time. Hither came the wives in comely 
manner, and they that were of the better sort had their mantles 
carried with them, as well as for show as to keep them from cold 
at table." 

al byfore = wholly before, before all ; in token of rank. 

378. riallyche i-bore ^^horne royally, — in regal style. Royal 
and regal are the same word, — the g being softened to y. Re- 
gal comes directly from the Latin regalis, while royal is the 
same derived through the French. The difference in meaning 
between these two words illustrates the use we have made of our 
mixed vocabulary. At present, use constantly narrows the 
limits of a word, as language requires greater definiteness ; 
while in the early stages of a language the tendency seems 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. I43 

to be to enlarge rather than to restrict the signification of 
words. 

yji). for the no7ies = ior the nonce; for the occasion. In this 
instance, the sign of inflection ;z has escaped destruction by hid- 
ing in the following word. The proper division of the words 
would be " for then once," O.E. for than anes. Then (than) is 
for A.S. thajfi dative. In the following lines from Spenser, 
F. Q^ vii. § 14, the force of ouce is retained : — 

'"Through all three bodies he him strooke attonce, 
That all the three attonce fell on the plaine 
Else should he thrise have needed for the nonce. 
Them to have stricken, and thrise to have slaine." 
So also we have atte nale for at then ale = at the ale. P. P., vi. 
117. Atten ende was also corrupted into at the nende ; ejiys 
kynnes into ejiy skynnes. The same tendency may be seen in 
alone, atone, in which the idea of ojie is wholly lost- 

380. chyhjies = chickens. The usual sing, was chick, pi, chick- 
e?i, like ox, oxen ; cow, kine : but we have taken the plural as a 
singular, and brought the word into the regular declension form- 
ing the plural in s. 

382. Londone ale, ale of the best quality. 

383. roste, sethe, broille,frie. Of these words sethe and roste 
are Saxon ; broille and frie are French. The names, of course, 
indicate the origin of the methods of cooking. These verbs are 
infinitives depending upon cowde, as is shown hy maketi in the 
next line. 

384. mortreux = mortrewes. Lord Bacon mentions " a mor- 
tress made with the braun of capons stamped and strained." 
The final e is not silent in bake, which is an inf. 

385. it thoughte me^=\X. seemed to me, methought. There 
were two forms of this verb in A.S. : thincan, the intransitive = 
to seem ; and thencan, the transitive = to think. The intran- 
sitive verb has become obsolete except in the expressions me- 
thinks, methought, in which case me is dative after the impersonal, 
as also x^you in " if you please." " The mone thingth the more 
for heo so ney ous is." Pop., Tr. on Sc. 

387. -For = as to; considering. 'L,2X. pro. 

Blankma?iger = literally, white food. It seems to have beetf 
a different dish in Chaucer's time from that which is now calle(i 
by the same name: capon minced was one of the ingredients. 

-with the beste = as well as the best (cooks). 



144 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

3S8. fer by tuesie = far to the west (of London). By (primi- 
tive meaning near) has sometimes the force of 7iearly, or towards. 
not implj'ing accurate direction; cf. "west by north " = west 
towards the north. 

389. otigJit, usually spelled atight. 
Z)erteffiout/i = Dartmouth (at the mouth of the river Dart), a 
seaport in Devonshire, on the south-west coast of England. 

390 as he couthe = as best he might. A seaman does not ap- 
pear well on horseback. As = according as. For this use, see 
Abbott, Shak. Gr., § 109. 

391. gowne = gown, a blouse. To be pronounced go-une, 
giving to the iv a vowel sound. See Abbott's Shak. Gr., §§ 477- 
489. 

392. laas= ai)elt, which passed over one shoulder and under 
the opposite arm. 

394. The hoote somer = the hot summer. As the time of the 
pilgrimage was in the spring, this inust refer to a previous 
year. Wright says the summer of 1351 was long known as the 
hot dry summer. 

395. y^/awe = companion ; "a partner in goods; from /e, 
money, goods, and lag, order, society, community. 

' Here now make y the 

Myn owne felow in al wise 

Of worldly good and merchandise.' Lydgate.'' 
Wedgwood. This word retains its original force in all com- 
pounds, as fellow-sufferers ; but when used alone it conveys some- 
thing of contempt, — perhaps as a natural outgrowth of intimacy. 
"The notion originally involved in companionship would ap- 
pear to have been rather that of inferiority than of equality." 
Craik's E. of Sh., 345. In O.E. companion was used in this same 
contemptuous sense. 

396 " Very many a draught of wine had he drawn (stolen 
away, or carried off) from Bordeaux (cask and all) while the 
chapman (merchant or supercargo to whom the wine belonged) 
was asleep, for he paid no regard to any conscientious scruples." 
M. Perhaps, however, better explained as alluding to a trick 
even yet in vogue, of drawing off a certain quantity from casks 
of wine or other spirits while on transit, and refilling them with 
water. 

397. From Bordeaux-ward = on the trip from Bordeaux. 

398. nycez=: soft (foolish). Our word nice seems to be used as 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 145 

though two distinct words had coalesced, — one derived from the 
Latin nescius, ignorant; and the other from the A.S. knesc, O.E. 
nesk, tender, delicate ; and the meaning of the word varies be- 
tween these two significations. The original is probably, how- 
ever, the Anglo-Saxon form. We speak of a nice sense of honor, 
a nice discrimination. The blending of the notions of folly and 
goodness is a little remarkable, but not without its analogies ; cf. 
silly, Ger. 5^/^^ =^ blessed : cf. also, "Alia was not so nice" — 
foolish. C. T. 5508 ; to make it nice = to play the fool. Fr. m'ai's. 
took he no keep = he took no care of, — paid no attention to. 
From the fact that a man cares for what he possesses, the word 
has passed from the idea of care to that of possession. 

399. If that = if so be that; if it happened that. See note, 1. 
144. 

faugh t e ; i.e., with pirates. 

400. By water he sente hem, Jioom ; i.e., he cast them into the 
sea, from which they could find their way to every land. 

hootn, ace. of place where motion ends; used adverbially. 
Scan : By water | he sente | &c. 

401. Bid (adversative) notwithstanding these moral delin- 
quencies. 

of^\n regard to; cf Shakspeare's "a valiant man of his 
hands." We still use this idiom, — attributive gen., — as, " swift 
of foot." 

craft =^ calling. " The origin is seen in the notion of seizing, 
expressed by the Italian graffiare. The term is then applied to 
seizing with the mind." Wedgwood. 

to rekne ivel his tydes = to calculate accurately the time of 
the tides. We would say the instead of his; his restricts the 
meaning to cases particularly affecting the mariner, while the 
would be general in its application. 

403. ;wo«e = moon; as influencing the tides, as well as giving 
light. 

lodemenage =^ ^\\oiz.^Q., — a compound of A.S. and French. 

404. Hulle = Hull, a seaport on the north-east of England. 
" Hull — well knowen bie reason of the assemblie marte of biers 
and sellers." Pol. Virgil, i. 5. 

Cartage. Probably Carthagena in Spain; but possibly Car- 
thage. 

406. /e;w^<?5/ = storm. The Lat. tempus means : (i) a portion 
of any thing; (2) a portion of time; (3) a portion of a year, a 

10 



146 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE, 

season; (4) a time distinguished by favorable or unfavorable 
circumstances, — opportunity or danger, — hence the periods to 
be remembered by seamen, as times of storm ; and (5) the storm 
itself. 

407. as thei -were = where (and what) they were. 
Cf. " Here as I point my sword the sun arises." 

J. C, ii. I, 106. 

408. Goo^lond = Gothland. Others read Scotland. 

411. Phisik. From a Greek word signifying that which is 
natural : in this sense we use the Latin form of the word phys- 
ical. As applied to science, it denotes a knowledge of the 
material world, and hence of the human system, especially its 
diseases and their remedies. 

412. ne -was ther non him lyk = there was none equal to him. 
Him is dative. In A.S. (as still in English) words denoting 
nearness and likeness are followed by the dative. 

413. To sj)eke of= speaking of; that is to say, in regard to 
physic, &c. 

414. astronomye = astrology. The ancient notion, that the 
sign in which the sun and other heavenly bodies happened to 
be had a peculiar influence upon the human body, has furnished 
the language with many words ; such as, disaster, in^uence, 
jovial, &c. Trench says that " whenever the word injluence 
occurs in our English poetry, down to a comparatively modern 
date, there is always more or less remote allusion to invisible 
illapses, skyey, planetary eflfeCts, supposed to be exercised by the 
heavenly luminaries upon the lives of men," Eng. Past and 
Pres., 240. The same thing may be familiarly illustrated by the 
retention of the anatomical diagram and the column for the 
moon's place still retained in most almanacs. 

416. kepte = watched, took care of. 

417. houres. "The houres are the astrological hours. He 
carefully watched for a favorable star in the ascendant. A great 
portion of the medical science of the Middle Ages depended upon 
astrological and other superstitious observances." Wright. 

Magic Naturel. These practices are alluded to in the " House 
of Fame," iii. 175 : — 

"And clerkes eke, which konne wel, 
Alle this magike naturel. 
That craftely doon her ententes 
To maken in certeyn ascendentes 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 147 

Images, lo ! thrugh which magike 

To maken a man ben hool or sike." 
418. yinages. See previous quotation. 

420. hoot^ &c., the four humors. Of denotes the gen. of 
source. 

423. i-knoTve = known. The prefix ge had in A.S an inten= 
sive force, which may have caused its retention in certain 
expressions. 

His /larm^his malady ; usually denotes a contagious disease. 

424. Anou = in one (instant) ^^ immediately. 

" But ever in oon y-like sad and kynde." 

C. T., 8478. 
doo^e = remedy. From this sense it gradually passes to the 
idea of compensation, — making good a loss, — as 7nan-bot = the 
penalty for killing a man. We retain this force in the colloquial 
expression to boot ; i.e., to compensate for the difference between 
two things to be exchanged. 

426. dragges = drugs. The original idea of drugs seems to 
have been something powdered. The O. Fr. is dragee, which 
had the meaning condiments or spices ; but I think it more likely 
that this was a secondary meaning. Pepys in his Diary, Feb. 3, 
1665-6, says, " did carry home a silver driidger for my cupboard 
of plate." That is, a box for spices. The dredger still in use i" 
our kitchen is a vessel with a perforated cover to scatter cond^'' 
ments upon articles of food. 

427. other ; we say the other. 

428. Here, gen. pi., of them, their. A.S. heora- 

429. Esaclapius, the Greek patron of medicine. 

430-434. The persons here mentioned were the medica* 
authorities of the Middle Ages. Rufus was a Greek physician 
of Ephesus ; Haly, Serapion, and Avicen were Arabian physi- 
cians and astronomers ; Rhasis was a Spanish Arab ; Averroes* 
a Moor; Damascen, an Arabian; Constantyn, a native of Car- 
thage : all these flourished from the ninth to the eleventh cen- 
turies. Bernard Gordonius, professor of medicine at Montpellier, 
lived about the time of Chaucer; Gatesden was a physician of 
Oxford, in the early part of the fourteenth century; Gilbertyn is 
supposed by Warton to be the celebrated Gilbertus Anglicus. 
Condensed from Wright's note. 

436. of no siiperfluite. This must be construed as a genitive 



14^ NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

limiting a noun; the A.S. attributive gen. denoting quality. 
Cf. " a man of means." 

437. digestible. Accent third syllable as in French. The use 
of this adjective indicates the qualitative force of the preceding 
phrases with of. 

438. This line affords a good illustration of the manner in 
which Chaucer paints a character with a single stroke. 

439. saiigvjin and in pers, clotl^ of deep red and bright blue 
colors. 

440. taffeta = a fine smooth stuff of silk with a wavy lustre. 
sendal^^ a kind of thin rich silk. 

" His stede with sandelle of Frise was trapput to the hele." 

Anturs of Arthur, xxx. 9. 
" There was mony gonfanoun [banner] 
Of gold sendel and siclatoun." 

Alexander, 1963. 
The names of the cloths mentioned are French. 

441. but esy of disperice = hni moderate in his expenses. 

442. in Pestilence ; alluding to the great pestilence of 1348-9, 
in which, of course, his services were in great demand. 

443. gold in Phisik. Erastus, combating the prevailing 
notion, says, " that gold makes the heart merry, but in no other 
sense but as it is in a miser's chest." Burton, Anat. Mel., P. 2, 
Sec. 4. Mem. i. Subs. 4. 

444. Tkerfore = for this reason : tker refers to the previous 
statement, probably to be explained by the remark of Erastus 
quoted above. 

^ z« special = especially. 
• 445. of by side Bathe =^ from a place near Bath. 

446. skathe = misfortune. We still use the verb to scathe^ 
and the adj. scatheless. The noun is used by Spenser and Shak- 
speare. In like manner we have lost the noun ruth^ but we retain 
the adj. ruthless. Cf. Ger. Schade. 

447. cloth-making. "The west of England, and especially 
the neighborhood of Bath, was for a long time celebrated for its 

' cloth. Ypres and Ghent were the great clothing marts of the 
continent." From Wright. 

she. Observe change in orthography. 

449. parisshe = parish. Parish is from the French paroisse^ 
from the Greek napoiKia, dwelling near. Parishioners are liter- 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 149 

jilly persons dwelling near each other. We preserve the Greek 
form \n parochial. 

450. to the offryng. "An allusion to the offering on Relic 
Sunday, when the congregation went up to the altar in succes- 
sion to kiss the relics." M. 

Schulde = ought = had a right to go. Schulde is here used 
in its original sense of propriety or moral obligation. 

453. keverchefs^=V&xcK\Q.k. Literally, coverings for the head. 
Our handkerchief is therefore an incongruotis word. 

grou7ide = warp, foundation; i.e., not of a cheap material in 
the warp, covered with a more costly. Grund is used similarly 
in German. Morris explains "of a fine texture." 

ten pounde, probably with the ornaments added. 

457. Ful streyt yteyd., very closely tied. 
schoos ful inoyste, soft, supple; cf. 1. 203. 

458. reed of hewe = of ruddy complexion. 

459. worthy = oi high social position, with no reference to 
moral character. So worship (worthship) originally signified 
hofior. 

460. Housebondes = hu^hB.ndiS. A.S. husbanda^ from hus., house, 
and banda, one dwelling in {buan), with the idea of ownership, 
thus = house-master. By an easy transition, the word came to 
signify a married man. The same word appears in husbandry, 
where the original force' is preserved, — that of dwelling upon 
the land for the purpose of cultivating it. The word boor is 
from the root buaji, and means one occupying the land. The 
common derivation from house and bo}id is untenable. 

at chirche dore. The priest married the couple at the church 

porch. *, 

Hadde = had had, plupf. ^ 

461. Withouten = besides; without taking into account. 

462. needeth nought =^\\\Q.rQ is no need. The subject of need- 
eth is to speke. 

463. It was considered an act of great merit to make a pil- 
grimage to Jerusalem to the Holy Sepulchre. 

466. Galice. The shrine of St. James at Compostella in Ga- 
licia, whither the body of the saint was said to have been carried 
by a ship without a rudder. 

Coloyfie = Cologne, where the bones of the three wise men 
from the East were buried. 

467. coTvde = knew ; had experience in. 



150 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

ivajidryTiff ; usually explained in?, =^ wander in ff, alluding to 
the difficulties of making a pilgrimage in those days, before the 
great lines of travel were established : but if I might hazard a 
conjecture, it m?iy =^ ivandreme, trouble, suffering; cf. -wajidreth, 
sorrow. But the word may be taken as = transgression in a moral 
sense. See Wif of Bathes, Prol. 655. " Women that . . . wol go on pil- 
grimage more for sporte than for deuocion." Kt. La Tour-Landry, 34. 

468. Gat-tothed, with projecting teeth. " Some men there be that 
put them [the lips] far out, by reason that they are gag-toothed." 
Holland's Plinie, I. 336, L. 

sotJily for to seye = to speak truly, to tell the truth. 

472. foot-mantel ^= " a sort of riding-petticoat, such as is now 
used by market women." T. 

474. felaivscliipe = company. See notes, 11. 26, 395. 

475. Of remedyes . . . sche knew = she knew [the virtues] of 
the remedies for love- A partitive genitive. Knoiv is followed 
by the ace. or gen. : by the ace. when, the action of the verb is 
expressed without restriction ; by the gen. when the verb is lim- 
ited to a part of the object. She k?iezv the remedies would assert 
that she understood the nature and composition of the remedies ; 
she knew of the remedies means she knew what were remedies for 
love; cf. "I know the man" and "I know of the man." The 
verb with ^appears to be equivalent to the verb and a substan- 
tive ; i.e. = to have knowledge of. 

parchaunce = by experience. She was not a professional, but 
had gained her knowledge by experience, as she herself says in 
her Prologue, 11. i, 2. 

" Experience, though non auctoritee 
Were in this world, is right ynough for me." 

476. art refers to Ovid's Art of Love, as remedye refers to his 
Remedy of Love, — two standard works upon the subject. 

cotithe = was master of. 

the olde daunce. "To know the old dance" is a proverb 
meaning to know the old customs. 

477. of religioun = of a religious order, — in holy orders. 

478. And wa5 = who was; and he was. The relative pro- 
noun, by virtue of the relation it expresses, serves as a connec- 
tive; in this case and connects the two verbs, and the subject is 
omitted as usual in such cases. 

a poure Persoun of a toun = a poor parson (priest) of a coun- 
try village; cf. the phrase " a country-parson." Persoun is from 
the Latin personare, to sound or speak through, and originally 



NOTES TO TEE PROLOGUE. 15 1 

designated: (i) a mask worn bj actors on the Roman stage, so 
constructed as to increase their power of voice. As the use of 
these masks enabled the same actor to play {^perso7iate) different 
characters, ^en<f£>«a came to mean (2) character, as in the phrases 
personam znduere, personam agere. The word in pure Latin 
was never used to designate an individual. This use of the word 
is still retained in Dramatis Persojiae = the characters of the plaj^ 
Bj a very easy transition the word came to mean : (3) a dis- 
tinguished character; from this we pass to i^^) parson (i.e., per- 
so7ia ecclesiae), which is an accommodation of the spelling of the 
word to the pronunciation. Next we have the common change 
of transferring the word from denoting attribute to denoting sub- 
stance, and person no longer signifies character, but (5) an in- 
dividual, he who bears the character. So from mask the word 
has come to mean man. 

479. of holy thought and werk. Gen. of plenty. We now say 
rich in. The use of the gen. is very expressive, as it turns the 
attention to the source of the wealth ; the dative (with zw) is 
more subjective, and brings before the mind the person and the 
possessions by which he is made rich. 

481. wolde preche^=^N\^\iQ.6. to preach. 

482. ^arz5c^^;?5 = parishioners. 

devoutly -wolde = he most earnestly (devotedly) wished to 
teach. 

485. such; i.e., benigne, diligent, and pacient. This presents 
us a vivid picture of his parish, wherein was such frequent oppor- 
tunities for the exercise of these virtues. 

486. Ful loth -were him = He was extremely unwilling. 

to curse is the subject ; loth is the predicate with him in the 
dative ; were, pret. subj. 

to curse = to excommunicate. Ctirse is another form oi cross, 
and means to imprecate the displeasure of God by the sign of the 
cross. He would not excommunicate those who failed through 
misfortune to pay their tithes. 

tythes. The tithe or tenth was that part of one's income in 
kind set apart for the service of the church. "And behold 1 
have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an 
inheritance." Num. xviii. 21. "Thou shalt truly tithe all the 
increase of thy seed that the field bringeth forth year by year.'' 
Deut. xiv. 22. Hence tithe = any small portion. 



152 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

487. out ofdouie= without doubt. In A.S. uta?i governs the 
genitive. 

489. OJ his offrynge = oi his income from contributions; par- 
titive gen. 

stcbstauiice = the property he had acquired, or the income of 
his benefice. 

490. litel thing = \\ti\Q, as opposed to abundance. Thitig 
(A.S. t?iincg) is properly that which can be seen, any thing visi- 
ble ; hence substance, that which has Weight. It is here used 
collectively, and not distributively, as is now the common usage. 
Thing is referred by some to thun, to do. 

491. Scan : Wyd was | his parisch | and hous | es fer | ason- 
der. 

. 492. But he ne lafte not= he ceased not. 
for= for fear of; literally, in front of; cLfore, 
reyne = ra.in. A.S. regen ; thesis first softened to j, then to 
z, and finally silent; cf. day from daeg. 

Scan : But he | ne laft I e not | for reyne | ne thonder. 

494. moche and lite =^ gvQdit and small, — of high rank and low. 

495. Uj>pon his feet = on-foot. He was too poor to keep a 
horse. 

496. schee^, pi. AS. neuters of the first declension form the 
sing, and pi. alike. 

497. Thatfrste, Sic. That is the sentence article referring he 
■wroughte to ensample. After a general statement that introduces 
a particular. 

after that. That here refers to he -wroughte as to a noun. 

501. foul= filthy. A.S. ful, Goth. fuls. The primitive mean- 
ing seems to have been putrid. 

502. No Tvonder is, &c. = It is no wonder that an ignorant 
man should become filthy. To ruste is the subject of is ; lewed 
man is the ace. subject oi to ruste ; wojider is the predicate. 

/ew^(^= ignorant, as opposed to the clergy or educated per- 
sons; from A.S. leode, people, hence common people, and as an 
adjective denoting the manners of the common people : the same 
idea may be traced in villain, boorish, heathen. " That lewd, 
which meant at one time no more than lay or unlearned, should 
come to signify the sinful, the vicious, is not a little worthy of 
note. How forcibly we are reminded here of that saying of the 
Pharisees of old, ' This people which knoweth not the law is 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 153 

cursed ! ' how much of their spirit must have been at work before 
the word could have acquired this secondary meaning! " Trench. 
From its primitive meaning, ig?tora?it, it passed to denote one 
of the usual concomitants of ignorance, vice; and, lastly, this 
general meaning was narrowed to express a predominant form 
of vice. The above use of rusty = filthy is not yet entirely ob- 
solete in colloquial language. 

503. it refers to the proverb given in the next line. 

504. foul to be read as a dissyllable. The original word here 
is rather forcible than elegant. ♦ 

505. oughte. " The English defective verb ought is the old 
preterite of the verb to owe, which was at an early period used as 
a sort of auxiliary with the infinitive, implying the sense of ne- 
cessity, just as we, and many of the Continental nations, now 
employ have and its equivalents. . . . Afterwards, by a common 
process in language, the general idea of necessity involved in 
this use of the word oive resolved itself into two distinct senses, 
— the one of pecuniary or other liability in the nature of a debt, 
or the return of an equivalent for property, services, or favors 
received ; the other that of moral obligation, or, at least of ex- 
pediency. Different forms from the same root were now appro- 
priated to the two senses ; to owe with a newly formed weak 
preterite, owed, being exclusively limited to the notion of debt, 
and the simple form ought being employed in all moods, tenses, 
numbers and persons, to express moral obligation." Marsh. 
Owe is from the A.S. agaii, evidently from the same root as the 
Gr. tx^Lv, to have ; so that the use of the auxiliary have, as above 
mentioned, is based upon the same conception as the use of the 
word ought. In this passage the meaning inclines towards 
the common signification of owe : a priest owes it [to his pro- 
fession] to give example to his flock. 

506. how that^=\n what way it shotild be that, — how. How 
is only another form of why, the instrumental case of what. 
That is added with an original reference to the noun, implied by 
the interrogative; but as the pronominal force of how was lost, 
that was nevertheless retained with the idea of securing greater 
definiteness by the use of the definitive. The true construction 
is seen in since that — K.S. siththan the, in which case that is 
plainly relative, after the demonstrative involved in since, sith- 
than. In all such cases, it is best to suppose an ellipsis of the 
proper mode and tense oi to be. 



154 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

507. He sctte jiot, &c. He did not let out his parochial duties 
to some poor curate, and go up to London to seek a more lucra- 
tive position. 

sette, causative from sit, hence = to cause to sit, to place; cf. 
also lecgan from licgan^=\?iy, lie; drencaii, from drincan = 
drench, drink. 

benefice, originally, a grant of land to a Roman veteran; an 
ecclesiastical living below that of a bishop. 

to hyre, a gerund ; cf. to let, to rejit. 

508. /ee/== let '^(pret.) = leave. Laetan (let) is often to be 
construed with to be or to go, understood. '* Laet thaer thine lac 
beforan tham altare." Matt. v. 24. Leave there thy gift before 
the altar. 

509. seynte Poicles, sc. church, — the metropolitan cathedral 
church of London, which the king and nobility attended. In 
E.E. the diphthong mi was sounded as in German, and the word 
Paul is here spelled as it was pronounced. 

510. him, dative of advantage. 

chaiiiiterie for soules = an endowment for the payment of a 
priest for saying masses for the soul of the founder. The orig- 
inal pronunciation of soul (A.S. sawel) is here indicated by the 
rhyme : — 

" Persones and parisch prestes pleyned hem to the bischop, 
That here parisches were pore sith the pestilence tyme, 
To haue a lycence and a leue at London to dwelle 
And syngen there for symonye, for siluer is swete." 

P. P., Prol., 85. 
Latimer (vii. Sermons) severely denounces the chauntery 
Priests of his day. 

513. myscarye =^ to misbehave, to carry one's self amiss. 

514. 7/iercenarie =^ hireling. " But he that is an hireling and 
not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf 
coming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth ; and the wolf catcheth 
them, and scattereth the sheep." Jno. x. 12. 

516. nought = no-whit ^^ not at all. Not is only a contracted 
form. 

<//5^//<?z^5 = pitiless, uncompassionate. ''Dispitous is he that 
hath disdain of his neighebour; that is to sayn, of his even 
cristen." Persones Tale. 

517. da7tgerous=^di\^Q.\x\t to gain. From the meaning of 
penalty, the word passed " to signify difficulties about giving 



K 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 155 

permission or complying with a request, or to absolute refusal.' 
Wedgwood. See note, line 663. 

518. discrete discreet, — adapting one's self to circumstances, 
"Rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. ii. 15. 

519. To draw people to heaven by the beauty [of a godly ex- 
ample]. 

521. But it were = except it were in the case of an obstinate 
person. The strict construction is, " Except any person were 
obstinate." It^ however, refers to the general idea of the sen- 
tence. So Isa., li. 9. " Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab.?" 
This use of hut is A. S. " Butan hwa beo edniwan gecenned." 
Jno. iii. 3. " But a man be borun agen." Wiclif. 

522. What so he ivere = whosoever he might be. What so 
is used instead of "Mho so, as z't is used in the preceding line in- 
stead of he ; the reference being to the idea in the mind of the 
writer, which is here the character of the man rather than the 
person. In all such cases, so is a pronoun and not an adverb ; 
cf. whoso with Lat. quisquis. 

524. ther nozvher 71011 is = there nowhere is. Non is the real 
subject. 

525. He ivaytede after = he looked for. 

Scan : He wayt | ede aft'r | no pompe | and rev | erence. 
Such contractions are common, especially with liquids. 

526. hijn = for himself, dat. The direct object of makede is 
conscience. 

spiced conscieiice = a conscience exceedingly particular about 
little things. "The fourthe rule is of spice and of kynde; that 
is, of part and of al the hool thing, of the whiche the part is." 
Wiclif. Proleg. i, N. T. Spice is an abbreviation oi species (Lat. 
species), a class distinguished by the possession of particular 
qualities. So Chaucer says (Persones Tale), " The spices of 
penance ben three." A spiced conscience would then be a con- 
science differing from the usual conscience of men, and laying 
great stress upon minor matters, while neglecting weightier 
matters. The adversative but with which the next line begins 
indicates the opposition between the two ideas — " spiced con- 
science " and following " Cristes lore." A spiced conscietice 
would therefore be a peculiar (specific) conscience, — one de- 
termined by personal whim or fancy, and not acting according 
to general principles. The same expression occurs in the Wif 
of Bathe's Tale: — 



156 NOTES TO THE FROLOOUE. 

"Ye shulden be al patient and meke 
And haue a swete spiced conscience." C. T., 6017. 
But here spiced seems to belong with swcie, — siveie spiced= 
pleasant, easy- Drugs were called spices, — not drugs in gen- 
eral, but specifics as we still saj. 

" May no synne be on him sene that useth that spise." 

P. P. ProL, 147. 
The Italian word for drugs is spezierie, that which is sold in 
small quantities, as opposed to groceries {g-ross^, articles which 
are sold in large quantities. With an interpretation drawn from 
this meaning, the expression would be equivalent to a conscience 
spiritually drugged, and so acting unnaturally. T^a'whitt quotes 
from Beaumont and Fletcher (Mad Lover, Act 3) a passage in 
which spiced seems, as here, to signify tiice, scrupulous : — 
" Fy ! no corruption . . . 
Cle. Take it; it is yours : 

Be not so spiced ; it is good gold ; 

And goodness is no gall to the conscience." 

527. his apostles, gen., in same construction with Cristcs. 
Such an arrangement would be perfectly clear in an inflected 
language, but is not allowable in modern English. 

528. himselve = by himself, dative. " Himself is often an 
abridgment of a prepositional expression used as an adverb : he 
did it by himself, of himself for himself ; and being a quasi- 
adverb does not receive the adjectival inflection. It follows that 
my, thy, in myself, and thyself, are not pronominal adjectives, 
but represent inflected cases of the pronouns." Abbott, Shak. 
Gr. § 20. We may explain this expression more simply. Him ; 
wj/=me; thy = iht, are strict datives of possession after self 
which is to be construed as the real subject; so that himself =z 
the self to him; myself ^^^Wie. self to me. Cf. al him one = him 
all alone. Gower. Self is often used in E.E. for an emphatic 
subject or object. 

"And eke the ladie self he brought away." F. Q^ iv. i, 2. 
" Such as the maker self could leest by art devize." lb. iv. 3, 38. 

" Lo where the villaine self," &c. lb. iv. 7, 30. 
In all these cases self is preceded by a possessive genitive, 
which answers to the possessive dative in him-'s.oXi. The posses- 
sive dative was common in A.S. 
"T'^ 529. xvas his brother =^Vfh.o v^2i% his brother. This omission 
of the subject-relative is common in Shakspeare. " I have a 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 157 

mind [which] presages." M. of V. i. i. 175. See Abbott, Shak. 
Gr., § 244. We still use the same construction after nouns, 
although the omission is awkward. See note, 1. 547. 

530. i-lad, drawn out, carried, p.p. of lead. 

Fot/ier, properly a carriage load, and so used here; cf. Ger. 
fuder. See K., 1050. 

c^T^i. ckaritee (Fr. ckarite, Lat. caritas) =^ love, good-will. 
Charts originally signified loveliness, and was first applied to 
denote physical grace; hence the Greeks called the Graces 
charites. The transfer to spiritual perfections was easy ; and 
charity signified loveliness of character, prompted by good-will. 
It is so used by St. Paul in i Cor. xiii. 4: "Charity suffereth 
long," &c. From signifying moral virtue, the word easily came 
to signify those acts of benevolence which are the strongest 
proof of its possession. 

533. God^ placed first for emphasis. 

534. though him gamede or smerte = though it pleased or 
pained him. The subject is the previous sentence, God lovede 
he. We usually find it referring to the sentence-subject. Him is 
ace. after impersonals of feeling. Stnerte, impersonal subj. pret. 
We still use this verb, but always in the sense of physical pain ; 
cf. " It smarts." 

535. thanne =^ thQXi \ see note, 1. 12. 
Himselve, ace. 

536- dyke = ditch, though now restricted to making an em- 
bankment. Dyke and ditch, originally the same word, have 
become distinct; one meaning the embankment made, and the 
other the trench excavated in making a ditch. 

537. For Cristes sake. See Matt. xxv. 40. 

538. if it lay in his mights if it were in his power. 

541. mere = 2i mare. To ride upon a mare was held to 
be beneath the dignity of a man of distinction. The same 
notion prevails among the North American Indians, among 
whom the warriors ride upon stallions and the women upon 
mares. 

542. Reeve = an understeward, whose duty it was to super- 
intend the estate of a gentleman. See 11. 587-622. Also an 
officer. Mostly used in composition with a noun denoting the 
extent of his jurisdiction ; as, port-reeve, shire-reeve (sheriff), 
town-reeve, &c. 

543. Somfnour = a summoner ; an officer employed to sum- 



158 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

mon delinquents to appear in ecclesiastical courts, — now called 
an apparitor. 

Par</o;/£?r = a seller of pardons ; one licensed to sell indul- 
gences. 

545. for the nones. See note on 1. 379. 

547. That ft'evede ivel = that proved he well. Subject is 
omitted. The same usage is frequent in Shakspeare. " This 
ellipsis of the nominative may perhaps be explained partly: 
(1) by the lingering sense of inflections, which of themselves are 
sometimes sufficient to indicate the person of the pronoun under- 
stood, as in Milton : — 

' Thou art my son beloved : in him am pleased ; ' 
partly (2) by the influence of the Latin; partly (3) by the rapid- 
ity of the Elizabethan pronunciation, which frequently changed 
he into a (a change also common in E.E.), 'a must needs' 
(2 Hen. VI. iv. 2, 59), and prepared the way for dropping he 
altogether." Abbott, Shak. Gr., § 402. 

overal =^ every where; cf. Ger. uberal, Overal thej' may be 
construed together = wherever. 

548. «/7i^e_y = always. A.S. ealle -wega, all ways; hence at all 
times. 

ra7n. A ram was the usual prize at wrestling matches. 
" Of wrastling was ther non his pere, 
Ther ony ra)n shuld stonde." 

Rime of Sir Thopas. 

549. schort-schuldred : we would say short-xvaisted. 

A thikke knarre = 2i thick-set stub of a fellow. Knarre^^Vinot 
(O.'E. gnarr). A derivative of this word is still in colloquial 
use, — g7iarly (pronounced nurly). This figure is used because 
of the >^;z<?5<5'j appearance of the muscles when largely developed. 

550. heve of harre = lift oflf the hinges. Gower uses the 
expression '-'■ out of herre" which Dr. Pauli leaves unexplained; 
may it not be explained as " out of gear" or " off" the hinges," as 
the colloquial phrase expresses any disorder.? 

heve; from this word we have head {A.S. heafod), the part 
which is lifted up; heaven (A.S. heafon^, that which is lifted up, 
— the sky. 

552. soTve or fox. The wild hog is of a tawny red color. 

553. brood ^==\>\'02id, indicating a disregard of the prevailing 
fashion. See line 270 and note. 

554. upon the cop right = right upon the top. We retain the 



NOTES TO TEE PROLOGUE. I59 

word cop in cob=^ a head, the receptacle of Indian corn; so also 
in coping, that portion of a wall which forms the top or finish. 

hade = hadde = had. The orthography and the pronunci- 
ation are changed to accommodate the rhyme. 

557. nose-thurles = nos-trils. (A.S. thyrel., a hole). Spenser 
uses intermediate forms : — 

"That flames of fire he threw forth from his large nosethrill." 

F. C^ i. II, 22. 
"Where proud Encelade whose wide nostlirils burnd." 

lb., iii. 9, 22. 
The modern orthography conceals the etymology of the word, 
and could only have come into use when the real meaning of the 
compound word was lost. 

558. siverd and bocler. See 1. 112. 

559. y(?r;^ey5 = furnace. See 1. 202. 

560. jangler= a great talker. From this word we \\2i\Q. jangle 
to quarrel, and perhaps yV;?^/^. 

golyardeys = a buffoon (Skeat), a teller of ribald stories. 
" The primary type of jollity is eating and drinking, an idea 
expressed in caricature by a representation of the sound of liquor 
pouring down the throat. . . . Fr. godailler, to guzzle, to tipple, 
. . . faire gogaille, to make merry, to drink merrily. . . . The 
latter half [of gogaille, Eng. coW. guggle'] seems to give rise to 
the term gatllard, one making merry, enjoying himself, a good 
fellow. The word is closely allied in form and meaning with 
the O.E. goUard, a loose companion ; from Fr. gouliard, a greedy 
feeder." Wedgwood. Tyrwhitt says : " This jovial sect seems 
to have been so called from Golias, the real or assumed name 
of a man of wit, toward the end of the thirteenth century, who 
wrote the Apocalypsis Goliae, and other pieces, in burlesque 
Latin rhymes, some of which have been falsely attributed to 
Walter Map." It is now generally believed that GoUas was a 
fictitious character, invented by the jolly father Map, who 
named his imaginary bishop Golias, as the hero of Gluttony, 
with an allusion to Goliath the Philistine." See Skeat's note, 
P.P., p. 98. 

561. And that ivas = and one who was. The antecedent of 
the relative must be supplied from the preceding line. 

Most = the greatest, a master. Master is from Lat. inagnus, 
and hence will aptly translate most as here used. 

of synne, &c., genitives of specification. See 1. 83. 



l6o NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

563. a thombe of gold. Tjrwhitt says : "If the allusion be, 
as is most probable, to the old proverb, ' Every honest miller has 
a thumb of gold,' this passage may mean that our miller, not- 
withstanding his thefts, was an honest miller; i.e., as honest as 
his brethren." The skill of the miller is shown by the fineness 
and evenness of the flour, to secure which required constant test- 
ing, which was secured by rubbing the flour with his thumb, so 
that the line may more probably refer to the miller's skill and 
not to his honesty, which would hardly bear any very flattering 
notice. 

565. baggepipe, quadrisyllable. 

566. Therivithal^ therewith (wholly with this). This use of 
therewithal is now obsolete. In this class of words, al is added 
simply for emphasis. 

567. Gc;//// ^^ well-bred. See 1. 72, where it rather means 
well-born; although with the further idea of good-breeding. 

temple limits maunciple. The headquarters of the Knights 
Templar were in London, and went by the name of " The Tem- 
ple;" subsequently they were appropriated to the chambers of 
the two Inns of Court, or Colleges in which students of Law 
reside, and receive instruction, the chief of which are the Inner 
Temple and the Middle Temple. 

Scan : A gen | tie Maun | c'ple was j &c. 

568. Of ivhich =^ oi whom; cf. "Our Father which art in 
Heaven." 

569. For governs the infinitive clause following. Buyers 
might take example in regard to buying victuals. 

570. %vhether that = whether it were that ; whether. As an 
interrogative 7v/iether= which of two; from this meaning comes 
its force as a so-called conjunction, used to introduce the first of 
two alternative clauses. These uses of whether are unfortunately 
becoming obsolete. " Whether of them twain did the will of his 
father .''" Matt. xxi. 31. We now say ivkich : we usuallj' omit 
the interrogative or alternative ivketker. 

took by /rtz7/e = bought on credit. Tatlle = tally (Fr. tatller, 
to cut). Before reading and writing were such common accom- 
plishments, accounts were kept by notches cut into a stick. 
Thus one meaning of tally is to count ; to keep tally = to keep 
count. When there was a running account with debts and 
credits, each party kept a tallj'^- stick, and as, if the accounts were 
kept correctly, these sticks would be the same, to tally = to 



NOTES TO TEE PROLOGUE. l6l 

agree. This method was in use as late as the Restoration, for 
Pepjs in his Diary frequently mentions borrowing money on 
tallies. 

571. ivaytede so = was so attentive to his business. 

572. 3{/c>r«= before (others). A.S. beforan. We have cor- 
rupted this beforan into beforehand., which again has been 
altered to forehanded. 

573. a fill fair grace = an exceedingly great gift. Grace has 
acquired a theological meaning = the favor of God. 

574. /(?xfe<f= unlearned. See note, 1. 502. 

w/V = judgment ; practical knowledge, derived from observa- 
tion, as distinguished from -wisdom derived from study. It is 
from the unstudied spontaneous character of this knowledge that 
the later definitions of wit have arisen. 

schal pace. We would say should surpass. Schal must be 
construed as present subjunctive in a subordinate clause. We 
do not now use schal with the pres. subj., although we use should 
in the pret. (conditional). 

pace = surpass. " The grace of God, which passeth all under- 
standing." Philip, iv. 7. 

575. -wisdom., learning as contrasted with ■wit-, or common 
sense. 

heep^=2i large number. This use of heap is still current in 
the West and South, where many Old English idioms have been 
preserved to be called Americanisms. 

576. way5^re5 = masters. lu?i.\.. niag-ister, irom jnagnuSf ^rea.t. 
As here used it refers to the lawyers whom he served. 

hadde he = had he had. 

578. w^/c^ = whom. 

house here refers to the temple spoken of, 1. 567. 

580. £ngelond =^ Ange\-\ond, i.e., the land of the Angles, one 
of the Teutonic tribes that settled the island of Great Britain. 
The three leading tribes were the Jutes from Jutland, the Angles 
from Anglen in Sleswick, and the Saxons from the mouth of the 
Rhine. When the tribes fused together into one people, the 
preponderance of the Angles gave the name England to the 
country. 

581. lyve, inf., second object of make. 

propre good ^ own property. Propre = what is peculiar to 
one's self; hence befitting one's character, station, &c. ; also 
suited to what ought to be. The original meaning is preserved 

II 



i62 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

in the legal phrase, " in proper person." The noun -property has 
also the same meaning, an-d strictly signifies what is one's own ; 
in the case of moral good we use the form propriety. " I have 
of mine own proper good." i Chron. xxix. 3. That is, private 
property. 

"And of comun hi?, prop re made." Gower, ii. 128. 
^00^= goods, property. "L^it. bofia. Gr. djada. This paral- 
lelism is not a little remarkable. Men have always considered 
wealth the highest earthly good, as virtue is the highest spiritual 
possession. 

582. In honour detteles = honorably and yet without incurring 
debt. Honour here means in a way to attract consideration : 
from this meaning the transition to that ^vhich entitles one to 
honor is quite easy : thus integrity is the honor of a man, — *' upon 
my honor," — and virtue is the honor of a woman. 

but-if^= except. The force of but is negative. 

583. or lyve ; in same construction as lyve in 1. 581. 

as hym list desire = 2i^ it pleases him to desire. Wright reads 
" as he can desire." 

584. And connects able to worthi, 1. 579. 
F'or governs to helpen, used substantively. 
helpen = to extricate from difiiculty. 

«/ « = a whole. Al must be construed as an adverb modifjr- 
ng a considered as a numeral. 

" Of al a wyke wirche nought." P.P. vi. 258. 

586. maunciple, dissyllable. 

sette here aller cappe = would make fools of them all. 

Aller is the gen. pi. oi alle ; here (A.S. heord)^ gen. pi. of he ,• 
here aller = eorum omnium. " To set one's cap " is to put a fool's 
cap on him, to overreach him. For all these lawyers were 
so smart, the manciple by his native wit could outwit them 
all. 

587. colerik = irascible, bilious. The bile was supposed to 
be the seat of irascibility. 

588. neigh = close, nigh. We retain this orthography in 
7ieighbor. 

he can : we would use could here, but ever implying a contin- 
uous time (present) throws the verb quite naturally into the 
present. We use the present after a future, but not after a 
preterite. 

589. round i-shorn. Short hair was a mark of inferior con- 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 163 

dition. See 11. 81, 109. The long, lank, lean body of the reeve 
is in admirable keeping with his character. 

590. docked = cut short. Wages are docked for loss of 
time. 

592. calf=^ the fleshy part of the leg. This word is only a 
shortened form of collop, a lump, especially of fat : the calf of the 
leg is the collop of flesh belonging to it. 

593. Wei cowde he kepe = he well knew how to take care of 
(keep account of) a granary and a bin. 

594. cowde, relative subject w/io omitted. See note, 1. 529. 
on him = against him, of him. This use oi on is still current 

in colloquial language. " Lest they should tell on us." i Sam. 
xxvii. II. 

ivynne = gain the victory in case of disputed accounts ; no 
auditor could find an error in his accounts. 

595. Wei wiste he, &c. = well knew he by, &c., what would 
be the yield of his crops. He could foretell the yield from the 
circumstances of the weather. 

596. Tie Idyn^ ^^ ih.& return (A.S. gyldan, to pay): (i) That 
which is paid or returned for something; (2) a giving way, — 
a mental action analogous to paying; (3) the physical act con- 
forming to this mental state. E.g., the yield of a field; a yield- 
ing temper; yielding to opposition. 

597. neet=z cattle. A.S. neat a derivative of nyt useful. Neat 
cattle was not originally a tautological expression, but was used 
as we now use the word cattle. We still use the word in com- 
pounds ; e.g., neat-leather. 

dayerie = dairy. " The dey was a servant in husbandry, 
mostly a female, whose duty was to make cheese and butter, 
attend to the calves and poultry, and other odds and ends of the 
farm. . . . The milking of the cows and feeding the weanlings 
by hand would naturally fall to the same attendant, and hence 
the origin of the name as rightly pointed out by Jamieson. Dan^ 
daegge to feed with foreign milk." Wedgwood. 

" For she was as it were a maner dey." 

Nonne Preestes Tale, 26. 

599. ^o/Zy = wholly. A.S. ^a/, whole, hale; we thus distin- 
guish the two significations hy the orthography. 

governynge = cox\.\xo\. The literal meaning of ^07^er» is to 
steer a ship ; Lat. gubernare, Gr. Kv(3epvuv. It then denoted the 
control of public affairs, — the ship of state, as we still say, 



164 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

unconsciously maintaining the old figure ; and finally it denotes 
control in general. 

601. /c>^^= master, employer, A.S. hlaford. This word is 
usually derived from hlaf., loaf, bread, and ord^ author, giver; 
thus /c>;'^= bread-giver. Others derive it from hlaf-xveard =^ 
the bread-w^arder. Lady is also derived from an assumed fem- 
inine hlaf-iveardige. But these etymologies are extremely 
doubtful, if not untenable. " Thorkelin in his Glossary to 
Beowulf, under the title Rex, refers the word Hlaford to an 
Icelandic origin, considering it as a corruption of Ladvard, a 
term denoting power and responsibility. His words are : Hlaf- 
ord, rectius Ladvard^ Icl. Lavardr, a Lad, terra, et vaurdr, 
custos, adeo Hlaford est, revera, custos terrae, i.e., patriae." 
Pref. Ormulum. So also lady, Icl. lavdi, also written in A.S. 
hlavedi. The older forms of the words are the simpler, which 
would seem to indicate that the resemblance to hlaf is only the 
result of corruption. 

605. dethe = pestilence. Trevisa calls the Great Plague of 
1349 " the grete deth." 

607. flace, i.e. of residence, — used also to denote a collection 
of dwellings, as a village; hence the collection of buildings for 
the use of a family. 

609. i-stored prively = full richly stored was he privately : 
his private property was large. 

610. sud^i'lly ^= craftily. The figure is that of a thread spun 
to exceeding fineness, implying great skill and cunning. 

611. To geve a?td lene = to give and lend. 
of his owne good ^ partitive gen. 

612. thank, now used only in the pi. From A.S. thencan, to 
remember. 

613. mester= trade. " The Greek [xvarr/pLov meant originally the 
secret doctrines and ceremonies connected with the worship of 
particular divinities. In the middle ages the most difficult and 
delicate processes of many of the mechanical arts were kept 
religiously secret, and hence in all the countries of Europe, 
those arts were themselves called mysteries, as mechanical trades 
still are in the dialect of the English law. Thus, when a boy is 
apprenticed to a tanner or a shoemaker, the legal instrument or 
indenture, by which he is bound, stipulates that he shall be 
taught the art and mystery of tanning or shoemaking. After- 
wards mystery came to designate, in common speech, any reg- 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE, 165 

ular occupation, so that a man's mystery was his trade, his 
employment, the profession by which he earned his bread; and 
as men are most obviously classed and characterized by their 
habitual occupations, the question which so often occurs in Old 
English writers, 'what mester wight is that?' means what is 
that man's employment, and, consequently, condition in life.'' 
Marsh, Lect Eng. Lang., 251. 

"Artificers 
Which usen craftes and mcstiers 
Whose art is cleped mechanique." 

Gower, Con. Am. iii. 142. 
See K., 1. 852. 

This word must be distinguished from inaistrie, Lat. magis- 
leriujn, craft, skill, power, and from inister^ Lat. mi?iisterium, 
need, necessity. 

" To put him out of all daungere 
That he of mete hath no mistere" (need) R.R., 5614. 
614. a ivel good^^^2i very good : so also fid good. 
616. highte = was called : properly a reduplicated passive 
form of the verb. 

618. a rusty blade, for show, — being rusty it was evident that 
it had not been habitually carried ; a fine touch of humor, admi- 
rably illustrating the character of the Reeve. 

619. Northfolk = Norfolk. The two kingdoms founded by 
the Angles in England were called Northfolk and Suffolk, or 
north and south folk or people. These names still survive in the 
names of counties of England. 

620. Byside = near to, by the side of. 

me7i is here pi. of man, and not the indefinite pronoun. 

621. Tukked, &c. He was clothed [tucked about] as is a 
friar; i.e., in a long blouse or frock. 

622. hyiidreste = hindmost. Hindynost is a double superlative \ 
est, the modern supl. termination, being added to the old supl. 
term. ma. 

623. Somfnour. See note 1. 543. 
in that place. See 1. 20. 

624. cherubynes face., a round, full, ruddy face, such as paint- 
ers give to cherubim. 

625. sawcejiem=^2i.n indefinite skin disease. Tyrwhitt quotes 
the following from the Thousand Notable Things : " A saws- 
fleame or red pimpled face is helped with the medicine follow- 
ing; " two of the ingredients are quicksilver and brimstone. 



lOO NOTES TO THE FROLOOUE. 

ey^heti =^eyes. Chaucer gives the following variations iri 
orthography: Ejen, Eyghen, Eyhen, Eghen. 

627. skalled, having the scall or scab; scurfy. "If a man or 
woman have a plague upon the head or the beard ; then the 
priest shall see the plague; and behold if it be in sight deeper 
than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the 
priest shall pronounce him unclean ; it is a dry scall." Lev. 
xiii. 29, 30. 

Make, light-colored — yellowish (as from leprosy). See " yel- 
low thin hair" above. A.S. Mac, pale, pallid, Mac-hleor., pale- 
faced. Blac, pale, and blaec, black, are both from blicati, to 
shine, to dazzle. "The original meaning of <^/«c^ seems to have 
been exactly the reverse of the present sense ; viz. shining, white. 
It is in fact radically identical with Fr- Mane, white, blank. . . . 
Then as white is contrasted with anj' special color, the word 
came to signify pale, faded. . . . Again, as colors fade away, the 
aspect of the object becomes indistinct and obscure, and thus 
the idea of discoloration merges in that of dim, dusky, dark on 
the one side, and in that of pale and white on the other. . •. . 
When the idea of dimness or obscurity is pushed to its limit it 
becomes absolute darkness or blackness." Wedgwood. "'To 
make his brows blake,' or turn pale, was a common poetical 
phrase equivalent to to va7iquish him.'''''' Wright, Prov. Die. 
" As blake as a marygold " is a proverbial simile in dialectical 
English. 

" Some on [pleaseth] for she is pale and bleche." 

Gower, C. A. ii. 210. 
Morris, however, explains Make as black. 

piled herd =2i thin beard. See note, 1. 177. "And the man 
whose hair is fallen off his head (margin 'head is pilled).^ '^ 
Lev. xiii. 40. 

628. afered ^= 2ifr2i\d, frightened. "Be not afeard ; the isle 
is full of noises." Tempest, iii. 2, 137. This pronunciation is 
still common in some parts of this country. 

630. oille of tartre^2i preparation of white tartar, used as a 
cosmetic. '" Oyle of tartar is said ' to take away clene all spots, 
freckles and filthy ivheales.'' These last, I suppose, are what 
Chaucer calls whelkes." T. 

632. Of his nvhelkes = that could relieve him of his whelkes. 
" She was healed of that plague." Mk. v. 29. So in A.S. with 
the idea of separation, " alys us of yfele," deliver us from evil. 
Morris explains " to help off; " but helf governs him in the 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 167 

dative as in A.S., while help-off must be construed as a com= 
pound verb governing whelkes. 

633. sitting =^ staying — in spite of remedies. 

635. Scan : And for | to drink | e strong | &c. 

to drijike, inf. to be construed as a noun after for. 

636. as he were = as if he were. The subjunctive, when indi- 
cated bj the termination, did not require the conjunction to 
designate the mood. 

637. -ivhan /?/^a/ = when; literally " at what [time] that." 

he tvel dronketi hadde= he had drunk a large quantity. "Every 
man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men 
have well dru?ik, then that which is worse." Jno. ii. 10. "And 
when men be dronke." Tyndale. 

638. Latyn^= the language of the learned. 

639. A fewe termes. As a belongs only to singular nouns, 
or nouns to be construed in the singular, it cannot limit termes ; 
the real construction is " a few of terms," We find this partitive 
construction regularly used after numerals ; e.g., a thousand men 
(of men). 

termes ^= technical terms, — words used in a peculiar sense. 

641. JVo wonder z5 = it is no wonder; i.e., that he should 
learn it, as he heard it all day in the courts. The Law writs all 
followed a certain model, and hence each would be a repetition 
of the other, except so far as change would be necessary to adapt 
it to the particular circumstances of the case. The Summoner 
is likened to a jay which learns to repeat words which it has 
frequently heard. 

642. how that = how; literally "in what way it is that; " how 
is the instrumental case of what. "That thou mayest know how 
that the earth is the Lord's." Ex. ix. 29. 

643. Can cle-pen Watte = can call Watt, just as parrots say 
Poll. 

644. so is the pronoun, added (cf. Lat. quis-quis) to render 
the interrogative indefinite. 

other thing =^ other matters. 

grope =^\.Yy, test; literally, to feel with the hands. The orig- 
inal force of this word is still maintained in the south-western 
States; as, to " grabble potatoes," is to thrust the hand into the 
hill, and select the largest, leaving the small ones to grow. 

645. Thanne hadde he spent. All he knew was the phrases 
which he had picked up. 



l68 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

646. ^cestio quid Juris. The question is, what is the law in 
the case. "This kind of question occurs frequently in Ralph de 
Hingham. After having stated a case, he adds ^utd Juris, and 
then proceeds to give the answer to it." T. 

648. noght. Wright reads noivher, — a better reading. 

652. To pulle a fynch ^^to pluck (pill) a finch; i.e., to cheat 
one out of his money. 

654. him, — to han. Double ace. after verbs of teaching, &c. 
awe ^ dread. We use the word to denote that degree of fear 

inspired by something great or sublime. 

655. I/i suck a caas. Morris reads " in such caas." 
Arckedeknes ^= archdeacon's, — an ecclesiastic next in rank 

below a bishop, with authority to hold court and try and punish 
ecclesiastical offences. It is worthy of note that the titles of 
many of the officers of the church were assumed from words 
meaning various grades of servants; e.g., pastor, deacon, bishop, 
&c. 

656. But ^= except = if his soul were not in his purse. 
»2a««e5 = man's. The old full form of the genitive. We indi- 
cate the elision by the (') apostrophe. 

657. These four lines may be paraphrased thus : " He would, 
in such a case, teach him to have no fear of the Archdeacon's 
curse, unless his soul was in his purse, for he should be punished 
only by a fine." 

658. ^uod he ^= quoth he (pret.) Now used only in the ist 
and 3d persons pret. to give an archaic effect; as, quoth /, quoth 
he, sometimes corrupted into quotha. 

659. right ^=]\x&t. Right '\% still used colloquially to empha- 
size the following word ; as, right aivay, right here, Just now 
here. In dede =^ indeed, to be construed as an adverb, limited 
by right. 

660. Him drede = ^^Ksich guilty man ought to be afraid for 
himself of excommunication." Him, dative after ought ; evidently 
here used with the sense of owe, — a guilty man owes it to him- 
self to be afraid, &c. Wright reads, " oweth ech gulty man." 

661. curs used in the abstract = cursing. 

662. And connects war and techen^ 1. 654, from whence wolde 
must be supplied. 

War of him = war him of, — warn him against. 
signijicavit = a writ of excommunication, which usually 
began, " Significavit nobis venerabilis frater," 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 1 69 

663 /// dauiiger =vf\\h\n his jurisdiction. , The history of 
the word danger is most curious and instructive. '• In Mid. Lat. 
dammcm was used to signify a fine imposed by legal authority. 
The term was then elliptically applied to the limits over which 
the right of a lord to the fines for territorial offences extended, 
and then to the inclosed field of a proprietor. ... In this sense 
the word was often rendered damage in French. Datnage then 
acquired the sense of trespass, intrusion into the close of another, 
as in the legal phrase damage-feasant^ whence Fr. damager^ to 
distrain or seize cattle found in trespass. From this verb was 
apparently formed the 2iQ^tr2iCt domigerium^ signifying the power 
of exacting a damnum or fine for trespass. Then as damage is 
written damge in the laws of William the Conqueror, the fore- 
going domigeriiim and the corresponding Fr. domager or dam- 
ager would pass into datnger, da7iger. . . . The term danger was 
equally applied to the right of exacting a fine for breach of terri- 
torial rights, or to the fine or the rights themselves. . . . To be 
in the danger of any one — estre e7i son danger — came to sig- 
nify to be subjected to any one, to be in his power, or liable to a 
penalty to be inflicted by him or at his suit, and hence the ordi- 
nary acceptation of the word at the present day. As the penalty 
might frequently be avoided by obtaining the license of the per- 
son possessed of the right infringed, the word was applied to 
slich license or to exactions made as the price of permission." 
Wedg^vood. Littre derives danger from M. Lat. dominium. 

assize = assize, . court ; properly a court composed of a number 
of judges. "The word assise is derived by Sir Edward Coke 
from the Latin assideo, to sit together; and it signifies originallj- 
the jury who try the cause, and sit together for that purpose. 
By a figure it is now made to signify the court or jurisdiction 
which summons this jury together." Blackstone, iii. 185. Tyr- 
whitt reads "owen gise "^own waj^ pleasure. 

664. gurles = young people of either sex. 
"Grammar for gerlys I garte firste to write." P.P. 

Cf. A.S. ceorl, a churl, a freeman of the lowest rank. These 
two lines = he had the young people of the diocese within the 
jurisdiction of his own court. 

665. al here red=\\\\o\\y their adviser; their adviser upon 
all points; cf. "read me my riddle; " i.e., explain my riddle. 

667. as it were = a.s though it were. In all such cases, the 
contingent conjunction is implied in the subjunctive mode of 
the verb. 



lyo NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE, 

ale-stake, a stake hung with branches and leaves set up in 
front of an ale-house for a sign. The custom of adorning the 
front of ale-houses with live branches on festal occasions is still 
kept up among us, particularly by the Germans. 

668. A bokeler, &c. Cakes were sold at the ale-houses ; this 
novel sort of a buckler was probably suggested to the poet bv 
the Sompnour's resemblance to an ale-stake. 

"But firste, quod he, here at this ale-stake 
I wol both drinke and biten ona cake." 

C. T., 12,255. 

669. Pardo?ier^2i seller of indulgences, — a class of persons 
who brought great scandal upon the church. 

670. Rou7iceval. " Perhaps the name of some fraternity." T. 

671. was comen = had come. Intransitive verbs in A.S. 
formed the perfect and pluperfect with the auxiliary to be. Comen 
is therefore the past participle, and the expression = that was 
having recently come, &c. This periphrastic form describes the 
actor rather than the act. 

court of Rome ^= the Papal court. Observe that Rome rhymes 
with to me ; similarly, Gower rhymes time with by me. 

672. Ful loivde = \ery loudly. The dative singular of any 
adjective could be used as an adverb both in A.S. and in E.E. 
From this fact we may easily explain the constant tendency, 
particularly in colloquial language, to use adjectives instead of 
adverbs. 

Come hider, &c. Probably the beginning or the refrain of a 
well-known popular song. 

Scan : Ful lowde | he sang | Com hid | er lov | e to me. 
673. Burdou?i^=^h2iSS. Burdoun = a staff or support; hence 
in music denoting the fundamental part or bass upon which the 
others rest or lean. 

674. Was= there was. Such an omission must be explained, 
as the omitted relative subject. 

676. Heng^=^ hung. Strong verbs in A.S. changed the vowel 
in the preterite, but also sometimes changed this vowel in the 
different persons and numbers of the pret. ; whence arises the 
confusion between sang and sung., drank and drunk. A.S. sing. 
sang, pi. sungon ; sing, drajic, pi. druncon. According to this 
analogy we Yi^NO. hynge (hyngen) in the next line; although in 
this verb there is no change in A.S. 

677. By unces, &c., in separate portions hung the curls that 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 17 1 

he had had, and therewith (i.e. with this dishevelled hair) he 
covered his shoulders. The same idea is more clearly expressed 
in 1. 679. 

679. 0?i a7id oon = onehy on&. The hair that had been curled 
in ringlets hung in straight wisps. This sort of fashionable 
carelessness admirably befits the character of the Pardoner. 

680. For johtee = \iec2i\.\s.Q. of his gayetj. This use oi for is 
common in Shakspeare. See Abbott, Sh. Gr. § 150. Jolitee. 
Some connect this with Eng. yule, Christmas, alluding to the 
festivities of that occasion. 

682. Him thoughte = it seemed to him that he rode, &c. We 
still say methought \s\'Oi\o^x\. any apprehension of the construc- 
tion, just as we say " if you please " without any recognition of 
the diZ.W\& you. 

of the netve gei = after the latest fashion, — the new style. 
Of the neive get is an adverbial element modifying rood ; al 
modifies this adv. element. 

685. Vernicle, diminutive of Veronike or Veronica {yera-icon 
= true image), a representation of the face of our Saviour, 
printed upon a handkerchief, in imitation of the celebrated orig- 
inal preserved with great veneration in St. Peter's church at 
Rome. " Some believe that it [the original] is the same kerchief 
which was put on Christ's face in the tomb, according to John, 
XX. 7; others have persuaded themselves, but without proof, that 
it is the kerchief with which a holy woman [St. Veronica] wiped 
the Saviour's face when he went to Mount Calvary, bearing his 
cross." See Encyc. Am. It was usual for persons returning 
from pilgrimages to bring with them certain tokens of the several 
places which they had visited, and therefore the Pardoner, who 
is just arrived from Rome is represented with ' a vernicle sewed 
upon his cappe.'" T. 

" A boUe and a bagge he bar by his syde 
An hundred of ampulles on his hat seten, 
Signes of Synay, and shells of Galice, 
And many a crouche on his cloke and keyes of Rome 
And the Vernicle bifore, for men sholde knowe 
And se by hise signes whom he sought hadde." 

P.P. V. 526. Skeat. 

686. lappe = lap. A.S. laeppa, a lap, border, hem. The 
original meaning is retained in lapel, a fold of cloth like a hem, 



172 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

used to hide a seam, &c. ; and in lappet sometimes called flap^ 
parts of a garment which hang loose; cf. Jlabby. 

687. Brei-ful =z\,x\vci-{\x\\\ full to the top. Tjrwhitt says the 
meaning of this word is clearer than the etymology. O.E. brurd- 
fuli A.S. brerd^ brink. See K. 1306. 

"' I bowed in blys bred ful my braynes." 

E.E. AUit. Poems, A. 126. 
" Er vche bothom wass brurd-ful to the bonkes egges." 

lb. B. 383. 
alhoot^zW hot or fresh from Rome, — satirically compar- 
ing the sellers of indulgences to the venders of eatables who thus 
cry their wares. 

" Cokes and here knaves crieden ' bote pies, bote! 
Gode gris [pigs] and gees, gowe dyne gowe ! ' " [come]. 

P.P. Prol., 226. 

688. voys . . . 5Z«a/= a voice as weak. " A still small voice." 
1 Kg. xix. 12. 

690. it refers to the part of the face usually covered with 
beard. 

692. Berivyk, a seaport on the river Tweed, at the extreme 
north of England. 

Ware, a seaport on the channel. 

693. such another. We now say another such, although such a 
is allowable. Another = « or an other; other (a-whether) = 
any one [one of any two] ; such another is therefore in strict 
analogy with such a. Many of these words which have the ter- 
mination of the comparative retain the distributive idea involved 
in the notion of comparison : thus whether = which one of two, 
another = one of two. " Love one another " = love one of two 
= one the other. As the force of the article in another is lost, 
such will become the word of closer definition. Other is also 
used in the plural as one is in A.S. and E.E. 

694. ;«a/e= portmanteau. Literally a bag made of leather. 
Because such bags are used in transporting matter sent by post, 
such matter is called mail, and the bags by a reduplication are 
called mail-bags. So also a "coat of mail" was originally a 
coat of leather; cf- cuirass, Lat. corium, leather. 

695. Which that = which ; which as. Which being originally 
an interrogative, that may have been added to give it a relatival 
force. Abbott, Shak. Gr. § 250. But that may here have the 
force oi as. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 173 

-was oure lady veyl, literally = was the veil of the ladj of us. 
l,ady gen. for ladye. See note, 1. 88. 

696. Gobet^=3. small piece. "And they gadered up of the 
gobbetes thatt remained." Matt. xiv. 20. (Tjndale). 

697. St. Peter ^ &c. See Matt. xiv. 22-33. 
xv/ian that. See note, 1. i. 

Scan : That sey | 'nt Pet | er hadde | &c. 

700. pigges bones. Pretending that they were the bones of 
some saint. This trade in relics is still kept up at Rome in spite 
of all the efforts of the church to suppress it. 

701. £ut =z SLud yet. Notice the adversative force of but. 
implying a false pretence. 

702. dwellyng uj)po7i /(7;/^= a parson living in the countrj'. 
So used frequently: "Land of Nod." Gen. iv. 16. Cf. landscape. 

703. a day ^ one day. 
kim, dative of advantage. 

moneye^vaonQy. Lat. mo)ieta., a surname of Juno, in whose 
temple money was originally coined. Others derive the word 
from mo?tere, to advise; that is, gold or silver so marked as to 
advise one of its value. 

704. Than that = than that which. Abbott (Shak. Gr. § 244) 
suggests that the omission of the relative arose from the identity 
of the demonstrative that and the relative that; but it seems 
more natural to suppose that the relative that grew out of the 
demonstrative that., so that the construction without the relative 
would be the original construction. 

705. with = by or through^ With and by both originally 
signified juxtaposition, and thus easily came to denote the rela- 
tion of cause and effect. 

^aterie = B.a.ttery : connected with the root of y?a/ = origi- 
nally to rub with the hand, or to lick the hand as a dog does. 
In like manner, from the wagging of a dog's tail we have our 
word wheedle. 

706. Scan : the peopl' | his apes. 

707. trewely to tellen^ to speak truly; to speak the truth. 
atte laste=^ at the last. See note, 1. 29. 

708. churche= (i) a building dedicated to the Lord; (2) the 
body of worshippers occupying the same ; (3) those who agree 
in certain points of doctrine ; (4) all who believe in the Christian 
faith. " Church is from the Greek KvpcaKT], and signifies that 



174 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE, 

which pertains to the Lord, or the house which is the Lord's." 
Trench. This etymology is questioned by some. 

a noble ecclesiaste = an ecclesiastic of high standing, having 
the same rank among ecclesiastics that a noble has in society. 

709. storye=^2i story (abbreviated from history)^ here evidently 
alludes to passages from the lives of saints which were read 
in divine service. Story (history) originally denoted matters 
learned by inquiry, and from the incredible narrations so fre- 
quently told by travellers, the word came easily to signify a false 
account, as well as an entertaining narrative. 

710. altkerbest = h&st of all. A.S. aller, gen. pi., sometimes 
strengthened to alder or alther. See note on here aller, 1. 586; 
also 11. 799, 823. 

sang an offertorte = intoned the sentences said or sung while 
the offerings (alms) were being collected. A fine satire upon 
his avarice. 

713. To -ivynne^io gain,- inf. of purpose. 

as he right ivel cotvde refers to affyle. 

71^. Therefore ^= {ox this reason; i.e., that he might win 
silver. 

715. clause: a portion of a book or document separated from 
the rest; hence a "book" of a poem, a chapter or a paragraph, 
a sentence, or even a part of a sentence, separated by punc- 
tuation. 

716. Thestat, tharray=^\he estate, the array. This synco- 
pation is very common in E.E. , 

, 717. W^Z-^y ///«/= why (it was) that. 

719. highte ^= is called : active in form but passive in meaning. 

faste. The original meaning of this word seems to be that of 
fixedness, strength, e.g., o. fasttiess ; hence it denotes that which 
is immovable, either physically or mentally. From this idea of 
strength comes the idea of contiguity : " Siloa's brook that flowed 
fast by the oracle of God." The idea of closeness naturally passes 
into that of rapidity; hence vigorous action. 

faste <5j/= near to. ^jy^ near, -which faste simply emphasizes 
by repetition ; c^. fast asleef. " Abide here fast by my maidens." 
Ruth ii. 8. Hard is used in the same way for emphasis, with 
the idea of proximity; e.g., "Whose house joined hard to the 
synagogue." Acts xviii. 7. " My soul followeth hard after thee*" 
Ps. Ixiii. 8. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 175 

720. is /y;«e= it is the proper time. Tyme is the subject = the 
proper time is now. 

to telle = to narrate. Tell^=^ to speak, takes the dative of the 
indirect object. 

721. ^t»zy /^a/ = in what waj it was that ; how. 

bare us = conducted, behaved ourselves ; cf. bearing = de- 
portment. 

722. «//^^/= alighted. Verbs ending in /, preceded bj a 
consonant, drop the ^ of the pret., as caste for casted ; so also in 
the p.p. 

723. «/ifer = hereafter, afterwards. After is the comparative 
oi aft, behind. 

725. of yotcr curtesie ; an adverbial element, modifying rette. 
Pray takes two ace, — one of the person, you ; and one of the 
thing, thai ye ne rette it, &c. 

726. t/iat ye, &c. = that ye do not ascribe it to my ill- 
breeding. 

727. Though i'^a/ = though it be that, although. 

al pleyn = plainly. Plain literally is level {plane) ; hence 
without obstructions : " Lead me in a plain path." Ps. xxvii. 11. 
Clear, without obstruction to the sense : •' They (words) are all 
plain." Prov. viii. 9. Easy of approach, without formalities : 
"Jacob was a plain man" (Gen. xxv. 27), here means without 
being checked by the proprieties of society. 

729. properly, according as each spoke them. See note, 1. 581. 

731. schal is the oldest future auxiliary, and is always used 
except where it would be ambiguous, implying constraint as well 
as futurity. In the authorized version of the Bible we often find 
shall where usually will would be more idiomatic, while will is 
quite generally used in the sense of willing or wishing. " If thou 
wilt thou canst make me clean." "I will, be thou clean." Mark 
i. 40, 41. In the languages derived from the Latin, the future is 
formed by means of habeo (have), implying the same idea of 
necessity. The Gothic uses have in this sense, while in our 
present idiom, as, an auxiliary, it implies constraint. The 
original force of shall was that of obligation, in which sense the 
preterite is still used. It implies duty, and hence necessity of a 
moral kind, equivalent to to 07ve, ought. Will denotes simple 
volition, and thus simple futurity. It is worthy of notice, that 
one class of languages have formed the notion of futurity from 
the idea of compulsion, and the other from that of choice. 



17^ NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

"The assertion of will, or of duty, seems to have been considered 
as implying, to a certain extent, the power to will or to impose 
a duty. As a man has power to will for himself only, it was 
only in the first person that the verb ■will could be used with this 
signification. Again : the power which overrides the will, to 
impose a duty, must proceed from external agency, and conse- 
quently 5^*2// could not be employed to denote such power in the 
person." Dr. Guest, quoted in Craik, E. of S., 218, "I shall, 
youtvill, and he will, are generally simply future predictions; 
and will and shall are true auxiliaries. I will, you shall, and he 
shall, are expressions of determination ; and will and shall are 
not true auxiliaries. No very satisfactory explanation of a dis- 
tinction apparently so arbitrary has been given, though some 
ingenious suggestions as to the origin of it have been offered ; 
but, whatever foundation may once have existed for this nicety, 
it now answers no intellectual purpose. There is little risk in 
predicting that, at no very distant day, this verbal quibble will 
disappear, and that one of the auxiliaries will be employed with 
all persons of the nominative exclusively as the sign of the future, 
and the other only as an expression of purpose or authority." 
Marsh, Lect. Eng. Lang., 659. 

732. reherce^rQhe2iYse. " To re//crcer, to go over again like 
a harrow (Fr. herce) over a ploughed field." Morris. Webster's 
Diet, says, "Probably from prefix re and hearsay.'''' 

as evere he can. Ever (A.S. aefer from «) denotes continuity 
in time; but in such colloquial expressions the word rather 
denotes continued endeavor. The expression = as he may be 
able to at all times. Can is not an auxiliary here. 

733. charg-e = 2in undertaking. lu?ii. car rus, a car; whence 
cargo, a load, and Fr. charger, to load ; also carricare, to load 
(whence caricature). From this root come car, cart, chariot, 
carry, &c. A charge is therefore something to be carried, — 
a burden, a commission, a solemn injunction; also cost, debt, 
&c. ; also an accusation of crime, the disgrace of which one car- 
ries like a burden. 

734. Al speke /^e = although he may speak. The verb being 
subj. needed no conjunction. 

nevere so. Having abandoned the profusion of negatives, 
we usually write "ever so." 

large = coarse, vulgar. Compare the similar meanings of 
gross. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 177 

736. tvordes ;zewe = unfamiliar words. 

737- 5/ar^ = refrain ; i.e., from rehearsing as nigh as ever he 
can. 

he -were his brother. He here refers to the original teller of 
the storj. 

738. He moot., &c = He must as well saj a word that is im- 
polite as one that is refined. 

739. Crist spak himself. This arrangement is still used for 
emphasis as, " He told me so himself." 

ftil droode= avoiding the niceties of speech. Many of the 
words used to denote vulgarity originally signified greatness of 
size, e.g., gross, coarse, large, broad; while words denoting 
neatness on the contrary were taken from those implying little- 
ness ; cf. cleafi, Ger. klein, little. 

wr//= writing, that which is written; used at present only 
in the expression " Holy Writ; " and to denote a legal instru- 
ment, as a "writ of error." 

740. ye, nom. ; dat. and ace. you. See 1. 743. The use of you 
in the nominative is comparatively recent. 

Vileinye= depraved discourse, which breaks the rules of good 
breeding. "In our modern language it [depraved discourse] is 
termed villainy, as being proper for rustic boors, or men of 
coarsest education and employment, who having their minds 
debased by being conversant in nieanest affairs do vent their 
.sorry passions in such strains." Dr. Barrow. 

741. ivhoso that can him rede ^^^ if that any one can read him. 
Who and -whoso are used indefinitely. "As who should say." 
Rich. II. V. 4. 

"And am as who saith loves knave." Gower ii. 131. 
"After the flood fro which Noe 
Was sauf, the worlde in his degre 
Was made as who saith new agein." lb. ii. 181. 

742. c<?5y« = related to, in keeping with. 

743. foryeve it me. Me dat. of indirect object. In A.S. the 
usual construction after gifan, forgifan was the dative of the 
person with the accusative of the thing. "And forgyf us ure 
gy Itas, swa swa we forgyfath urum gyltendum." Matt. vi. 12. 

744. Al have I nat = although I may not have set, &c. 

745. as that = where that, how that. The pronominal force 
of as allows of its use instead of -which and -where, as even now 
in some dialects. 

12 



178 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

" That gentleness . . as 1 was wont to have." 

Jul. C. i. 3. 
thei schulde stonde = they ought to stand. Chaucer forms all 
the oblique cases of the plural of the personal pronouns from the 
Southern form /ii ; while the nominative, as here, is formed 
from the Northern ^/lai: We have extended the use of the demon- 
strative, and write ^/lem instead of /lem, which we still use in col- 
loquial speech, — pronounced ejn. 

746. 5c^c»r/:^ deficient, wanting. Still used in this sense, as 
" short of funds." 

747. us evericJion = each one of us, — dative of indirect object, 
^7;t';'zc^o« = ever-each-one, gives us a distributive force. 

749. atte beste=^\n the best manner. See note, 1. 29. 

750. a7id ivel to drynkeus leste = and to drink pleased us well ; 
i.e., it pleased us well to drink. Leste takes to drinke as its 
subject, and us as its accusative object. 

751. oure Jioost he, redundant pronoun. After a subject which 
has been introduced some time before its verb, or after a subject 
with appositive clauses, or (as in this instance) when both predi- 
cate and subject precede the verb, the subject pronoun is often 
introduced immediately preceding the verb. See Abbott, Shak. 
Gr. §§ 242, 243, for illustrations of this usage in Shakspeare. 

Our host was withal a man suitable to have been, &c. 

752. tnarschal = marshal of the hall, — whose duty it was at 
public festivals to place each person according to his rank. We> 
still use the word in this sense when we speak of the marshal of 
a procession, and to marshal an army, a host, &c. 

753. eyghen stepe. See 1. 201 and note. 

754. fairere burgeys = a more respectable citizen. 
C,^e^e=Cheapside in London. To cheapen meant to buy, 

Pepys in his Diary speaks of cheapening goods in the market; 
cheap-side^ literally = the market place. 

756. manhede=^va2i\\\\.oodi. //^e^^ (hood, head) denotes charac- 
ter or condition; e.g., childhood, knighthood, godhead. 

him lahkede= there lacked to him right nothing. Him is 
dative after verbs oftvant. 

757* flight a mery man= }ust one merry man, — a right merry 
man. 

758. playen = to make sport ; inf. after bygan. 

759. awc>«^e5 = amongst, among. A.S. on mang, from men- 
gian (Ger. mengen^, to mix; o?t mang wou\d therefore literally 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 1 79 

= in a mixture. The superlative termination seems to have been 
added for the sake of emphasis. It is worth while to note the 
terminations of the prepositions, and observe whether they are 
comparative or superlative ; as, primarily, the comparative degree 
expresses relation between two only, while the superlative ex- 
presses the widest possible relation ; we may observe the appli- 
cation of this rule in all relational words. E.g. comp. over, 
after, under, for, fore, before, &c. : supl. amidst, amongst, alongst, 
2i\s>o from (old supl. ma) : also words derived from the pronouns ; 
e.g., other, either, -whether, hither, thither, Sic. 

760. hadde maad our rekenynges = had made our reckonings ; 
i.e., had paid our accounts. " Howbeit there was no reckoning 
made with them." 2 Kg. xxii. 7; i.e., there was no formal set- 
tlement. 

761. Lo, an exclamation to call attention, usually ho, A.S. la. 
Halloo is probably a combination oi ho and la, or it may be h-la- 
la, eala ! 

762. Te ben. The plural form arojt {earon) is rare in A.S. 
It seems to have arisen from a stem ar instead of is, whence we 
get in the plural aron in place of sindon. The influence of the 
Danes, in whose language r is quite frequently substituted for 5, 
would naturally fix this plural in use. 

right -welcome hertely = right heartily welcome. 

763. if that I schal not lie = if so be that I must not lie. Schal 
is here used with its primary meaning of obligatiouo 

764. this yeer=-diMX\n^ this year, ace. of time= 

766. wolde I don you = I would wish to cause to youo To 
cause is the common meaning oi do in A.S. and E.E., and is still 
retained in certain phrases : " I do you to wit "=I cause you to 
know. 

" Which some hath put to shame and many done be dead." 

Spenser, F. C^ v, 4, § 29. 
That is, hath caused many to be dead. 

don (inf.) takes mirthe, direct object in ace, and you indirect 
in dative. 

-wiste I how ^ did I know how = if I knew how. Wiste is 
subjunctive. We still use the subjunctive in such constructions 
without a conjunction. " O had I the wings of a dove." " Hadst 
thou been here my brother had not died." Jno. xi. 32. 

767. by thought = hQthought, reminded. The prefix be gives 
an active signification to many verbs otherwise intransitive. 



l8o NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

768. To dooii you eese. Gerundial infinitive phrase depend- 
ing upon mirthe. 

■ 769. God you speede^^m^y God prosper you. "Speed the 
plough." 

770. quyte you youre meede = may the blessed martyr grant 
you your reward. 

martyr, literally = a witness : early applied to those who gave 
testimony to their religion by their death. 

771. by the 'weye = on the way. "Did not our heart burn 
within us, while he talked with us by the way.-*" Luke 
xxiv. 32. 

772. Te schafen yow = yoM get yourselves in readiness to tell 
stories, &c. 

773. Scan : For trew | ely | comfort | ne mirthe | is noon. 
For indeed there is no comfort or mirth in riding, &c. 

774. Scan : To ry | de by | the weye | &c. 
To ryde, inf. subject of is. 

775. ivol I maken = \ am willing (wish) to make some sport 
for you. 

776. do you = cause to you. 

777. if you liketh aUe = U it please you all. The subject of 
liketk is the idea contained in the next two lines, rather than any 
particular words, although to standen and to iverken can be so 
construed. 

*]'1%. for to standen =^\.o stand. In A.S. to was never used 
with the infinitive, but was used with the dative gerund ; when 
inflection was lost, this dative was denoted by the preposition 
for ; and when the gerund had merged into the infinitive for to 
(often written together forto, forte) was adopted as the regular 
sign of the infinitive. " Is the leouere vorte beon Judases feolawe 
thenjesu Cristes fere.^" An. R. 284. Do you prefer to 3e Judas's 
fellow than Jesus Christ's companion.? 

779. for to werke?! = to act, to do. 

I schal you seye^I shall say to you, — direct you. 

780. To- morwe = to-morrow (the morrow). To in such in- 
stances has grown out of the demonstrative pronoun, e.g., to-day, 
to-night; i.e., this (the) day; the (this) night. 

781. By the soul of my father, who is dead. That refers to 
fadres. Such reference of the relative is not uncommon in E.E. 
"Cain's jawbone that did the first murder." Hamlet. "And 
this is the Father's will, which hath sent me." Jno. vi. 39. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE . l8l 

soule = &o\x\ '. pronounced sowl. A.S. saivl from sawan to 
sow; hence the principle or germ of life. 

782. But=^\i not, except. 

smyteth <?/"= smite off. The usual termination of the impera- 
tive pi. was eth. A.S. ath. See 1. 788. 

^=ofF. We have discriminated between these two meanings 
by the spelling, — the primary meaning being that of separation, 
which is retained in off; while of denotes the logical separation 
implied in cause and effect or origin. 

myn gen. of Ic. 

783. youre ho7id = yowr hands. Strictly speaking, we have 
no true possessive pronouns ; what we use as possessives are 
really genitives. "My book" is not Itber meus, h\xi liber met: 
hence the noun need not be in agreement with the pronoun. 
Toure is here used with a distributive force = each of you. 

speche. We say " without any further words." 

784. Oure counseil, consilium nosiri. 

for to secke^io be sought, — a gerund, depending upon longe; 
as, " the ship is ready to sail," " the house is ready to be let." 

785. Us thoughte = it seemed to us. 

it was nat worth = it was not worth whil-e. 

to make it w)/5 = to make it a matter of wisdom or delibera- 
tion; cf. " He made it strange " = he made it a matter of diffi- 
culty." 

786. grauntede. The object is omitted; supply " his propo- 
sition ; " him is dative after verbs of giving, &c. 

787. bad^= desired. To seize is the direct object, him dative 
of indirect. The original signification of bid is to pray, hence 
^ert^= prayer. From this meaning it passes to that of com- 
mand; when offered by an inferior it is a prayer, when by a 
superior it is a command. The subjunctive is used in Greek as 
an imperative, according to this principle. 

As him liste = a.s it might seem good to him. 

788. herkneth, imperative; so also taketh in next line. 
for the beste = finally ; as we say " for good." 

789. Scan : But tak'th | it not | I praye | &c. 

it refers to the suppressed object of herkneth. ^ 

790. to speken, an independent clause, — to be construed like 
ft dative absolute. 

791. to schorte^= to shorten ; infinitive of purpose after telle. 
PJ/iV// = therewith, withal. The object of the preposition is 



l82 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

omitted, but can easily be supplied from the context. "And he 
took a potsherd to scrape himself withal." Job ii. 8; i.e., with 
which to scrape himself. 

792. tales tweye. Only one was told. Either these lines are 
corrupt or the plan of the work was left incomplete. If we read 
other too (an other too) for other tivo, so that the lines would 
mean " each shall tell two tales, — one going to Canterbury and 
another coming," — we would perhaps have an easy explanation 
of the difficulty. Other was regularly used for second in A.S- 
This view seems to be sustained by " I mene it so," 1. 793, 

793. -ward = a suffix denoting situation, direction, either 
physical or (figuratively) intellectual; often used with /<? as a 
strengthened form. " Thy thoughts which are to us ward." Ps. 
xl. 5. " His works have been to thee ward very good." i Sam- 
xix. 4. " The grace of God . . . to you ward." Eph. iii. 2. "To 
the mercy seat ward." Ex. xxxvii. 9; cf. toward, forward, up- 
ward, &c. 

J mene it so ^ th.2it is to say. It is redundant. Shakspeare 
has "foot it," "queen it," Milton " trip it as you go." This use 
is now confined to colloquial language. 

795. hati bifalle — have happened. " It fell on a day." When 
followed by an object this verb takes the dative ; it is therefore 
usually called transitive. 

796. which of you that — whoever, with something of a de- 
monstrative force added, as though = " that one of you which." 
This construction is common in Chaucer. As which was orig- 
inally an interrogative, that may have been added to give a 
relatival force. 

him — himself. The A.S. had — and consequently the Eng- 
lish has — no reflexive pronoun. We change the personal pro- 
nouns into reflectives by the addition of self, which was origin 
nally an emphatic but not a reflexive form. 

797. That is to seyn. That refers to the previous sentence; 
to seyn is predicate. 

in this caas = under these circumstances. 

798. sentence and most solas = the most instructive and the 
most amusing. Sentence here refers to the ideas, or thought of 
the story. A grammatical sentence is so called because it ex- 
presses a complete thought. 

779. at youre alther cost = at the cost of you all. Youre, gen 
pi. of you; alther gen. pi. of a//. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 183 

800. Here in this place ; i.e., at his hostelry: the idea is re- 
peated for emphasis. 

post. See note 1. 214. The doorpost of his inn, or perhaps 
the post in front of his house. Dealers chalked the debts of their 
customers upon the doorposts; hence the phrase "to post ac= 
counts." Sheriffs had posts before their doors upon which proc- 
lamations were affixed; hence the phrase "to post a person as 
a coward." 

801. ive come = we shall come. The A.S. has no inflected 
future tense, but regularly used the present instead. 

802. the more mery. The is here the instrumental case of the 
demonstrative, and corresponds to how ; it is usually called an 
adverb. It is equivalent to the Lat. e<?, by that, by so much. It 
is hardly necessary to say that this the must be carefully distin- 
guished from the article. 

803. /w<9/=Iwish. " I will that thou give me . . . the head 
of John the Baptist," Mk. vi. 25. 

myselven = for myself, dative sometimes called ethical. 

805. zuithseie = gainsay, oppose. IVith originally signifies 
juxtaposition, which of course may imply opposition, which 
sense it usually retains in compounds, as withstand. 

809. therefore = for this — there being the dative of the de- 
monstrative. 

me = myself. See note 1. 796. 

810. oure othes stvore = we swore our oaths. The subject is 
omitted; it must be supplied here and with prayeden in the next 
line. As the inflections of the second and third persons singular 
are retained, they most readily drop the nominative ; the other 
persons, ending alike, become indistinguishable if the pronouns 
or subjects are omitted, and hence suffer the omission less fre^ 
quently. 

swore. From the meaning (i) to affirm, szvear passes to mean 
(2) affirming solemnly, or under oath, and (3) to appealing to 
God as a witness of the truth of the statement; and (4) to such 
appeals in a blasphemous manner. 

812. After the pres. indie, we use the present infinitive objec- 
tively; e.g. "We pray you to vouchsafe us;" in narration of 
past events, the pres. indie, becomes a preterite, and, instead 
of the past infinitive, we may use a subjunctive sentence after 
that ; if the prayer was refused, we would still use the present 
inf.; e.g., "We prayed him to vouchsafe," — but he refused. 



184 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

813. oure, plural as shown by final e, and cannot agree with 
goveniour ; it is, therefore, genitive. 

815. sette^ prepare; cf. "set the table." 

At a certeyn prys = at a fixed price, — at a price determined 
oeforehand. This precaution may have been suggested by the 
payment of their bills. 

816. re-wled =^ ruled. The peculiar sound of 21 in rule is indi- 
cated by the vowel w. The word was formerly spelled riivle ; 
so Jews, Gt'ivs. 

817. /;/ heigh and I owe = in all things. Such expressions are 
common in E.E. to denote completeness. 

" Don we hit wolleth 
Lude and stille 

Al the kinges wille." Layamon, i. 156. 
By oon assejit = with one consent, unanimously. 
819. tkerupo?t, literally = up on this (either place or time). 
the wy}i ivas fet = the wine was brought. Drinking upon the 
conclusion of a contract is still a custom in inany places; cf. 
drink-penny = earnest-money. 

823. oure alther ^= of us all, gen. pi. 

cok= leader, — gathering his company as a cock gathers and 
leads his hens. 

824. togidre, together. To has an intensive force, as in verbs 
io-break, &c. 

alle, in apposition with us. 

Scan : and gad | rede us | to-gidr' | alle in | a flok. 

825. paas = foot pace. " A ^as with Chaucer means always, 
I believe, a foot pace." T. A little more than pace = a little 
faster than a walk. 

826. the waterynge of seint Thomas^ — "a place for watering 
horses, I suppose, a little out of the borough of Southwark, on 
the road to Canterbury." T. 

827. bigan — areste = halted. Bigan, literally = began, but 
is here used, as it is quite commonly in E.E., as an auxiliary = 
did ; usually abbreviated to gan. 

"And thanne gan alle the comune crye in vers of Latin." 

P.P. Pro. 143. 
" His blisse gan he tyne ; " i.e., did he lose. 

lb. i. 112. 
As the strict meaning of do = to cause, the construction with 
this auxiliary would be the same. 



NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 1 85 

829. / it you recorde = I remind you of it, — double ace. 
recorde, actively = to remind ; reflexively ^ to call to mind, 

to remember. Hence also to place facts where they can be called 
to mind; i.e., on record. 

830. even-song and mor%ve-song=&\Q.v{\x\^ song and morning 
song; i.e., vespers and matins, — evidently a proverb. 

831. Lat 5<?= let us see ; literally, permit us to see, — us being 
dative Let is one of the few verbs which retain the old con- 
struction with the infinitive without the preposition to. 

who sc/ial telle = who must tell, — whose place it is to tell. 
If -will were used here the sense would be quite different. 

832. I moot =^1 may. A.S. Icmot. A burlesque imprecation 
well suited to the host's calling. 

833. W^^05<? /5e ^ whoever may be, — shall be: we would per- 
haps say "whoever is." The subj. makes this = if any one shall 
be rebel he shall pay. 

834. is spent = is to be spent, — shall be spent. 

835. yb/'/^er = further ; from the root fore, 
tivynne = to proceed in different directions. 

" Yet can I make other folk to twinne 
From avarice." C.T. 12,364. 
" Leoue ureond beoth sorie hwon heo schulen twinnen." An. R. 
396. Dear friends are sad when they must part. 

836. Which ^^a^ = which; whoever it may be that. 

838. ner for ^er^'e^: nearer. Near is strictly the comparative 
of A.S. neah, nigh, as ?iext is the superlative. We have taken 
this comparative as a new base, and compare it as though it were 
a positive; so that nearer (neah-er-er) is really a double compar- 
ative, while next (A.S- neahst) has lost all conscious relation 
with near. 

840. lat be. &c. = cease your shamfastness; cf. the colloquial 
expression " let me be." 

schain/astnesse= modesty. It is to be regretted that we have 
given a false idea to this beautiful word by a vicious orthography, 
— shamefacedness. The termination is, fast, fixed, as in stead- 
fast =^yi&d in place, ya5^ asleep =^ fixed in sleep. The Old Eng- 
lish soothfast, truthful, is also unfortunately obsolete. Shame 
fast = fixed in modesty. 

841. A^e=and not, like Lat. ne. 

ley to. In modern English when verbs and prepositions are 
compounded, the preposition usually stands last, like the sepa 



l86 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 

rable prepositions in German, unless the two have coalesced into 
a new idea, so that the force of the preposition is no longer dis- 
tinctly recognized. Such prepositions are usually erroneously 
classed as adverbs. Inattention to the true construction of the 
preposition has occasioned this error, and not infrequently an 
entire misconception of certain expressions, as " and all to-brake 
his skull." Judges ix. 53. Here all (properly alle, adverbial 
dative) is an adverb emphasizing the verb. To adds the idea of 
completeness in this case. In other cases it has its true prepo- 
sitional force; e.g., " He that hath received his testimony hath 
set to (set-to) his seal that God is true." John iii. 33. Set-to 
= affixed. Ley-to is here the A.S. to-lecgan, and is used pre- 
cisely as set-to in the passage quoted. 

There is here a fine touch of humor in the implied fact that 
all except the Knight, the Prioress, and the Clerk, pressed for- 
ward to "draw cuts," while these three hung back through a 
native modesty. 

846. ivhich refers to the fact stated in the former sentence, 
and not to any particular word. 

847. as -was resoun = as was reasonable. 

848. By = according to. 
comfosicioun = agreement. 

" I crave our composition may be written." Shak. 
Resoun and Composzctoun are still French words to Chaucer, 
as is shown by the accent. 

849. ivhat needeth ivordes /»<9(? = what need is there of more 
words? literally, as to what (why) does it [to show this] need 
more words.'' 

ivhat, ace, used adverbially like Lat. quid. 

needeth, impersonal. *' The impersonal needs [needeth] 
(which must be distinguished from the adverbial genitive needs) 
... is often found with what, where it is sometimes hard to say 
whether -what is an adverb and need a verb, or -what an adjective 
and need a noun." Abbott, Shak. Gr. § 297. In this case the 
termination (changed in Shakspeare to 5 and dropped) indicates 
the verbal character oi needeth, and the construction is clear. 

851. As he that ivys was ; i.e., as he who was wise and ready 
to keep his promise of his own free will would say, so he said. 

854. What! an exclamation. Why is used similarly. 
a Goddes name = in God's name ; a = in. 

855. herkneth what= listen to what. This use of hearken as 



' NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 187 

a transitive verb, although frequent in Milton and Shakspeare, 
is now obsolete. 

856. ivith has here nearly its original force of immediate jux- 
taposition. 

riden-forth, to be taken together. Cf. forth-going. 
Tveye, ace., of cognate signification. Cf. " to go a journey," 
" to dream a dream." 

857. right a merie ckere == with a right merry countenance. 
'* This usage [inserting a] is found in the earlier text of Lay- 
amon (a.d. 1200), 'long a time (longe ane stunde),' ii. 290, 
where the adjective appears merely to be emphasized and not 
used adverbially. In the later text the adjective is placed here 
and in other passages in its ordinary position." Abbott, Shak. 
Gr., § 85. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 



2. duk= duke, king; literally, leader. Titles of rank were 
nearly all of military origin. 

5. That grettere, &c. =:that there was none greater. 

6. Contre. See note, p. 216. Accented here on the first 
syllable; in 1. 11, on the last. 

7. That refers to swick, 1. 4. 

9. Cithea = Scythia. 

10. lie. Subject inserted, although the sentence is connected 
to the preceding by and. When a proper name is separated from 
the verb, or when from the number of conjunctional sentences 
the connection would be obscure, the redundant pronoun sub- 
ject is often inserted. See Abbott, Shak. Gr. §§ 242, 243. 

12. moche glories %xe2X ^oxy. Muck when used alone has 
now rather a collective sense, a great number, a great amount. 
14. Scan : And thus | with vie ] tor' i'and | &c. 

16. ^05/ = army. Lat. kostis, an enemy. 

ar;«e5 = weapons. "As the arm itself is the natural weapon 
of offence, it is possible that the word ann in the sense of weapon 
may be simply an application of the same word." Wedgwood. 
See note P., iii. 

17. iVere = ne were = were not. 

to = too, in addition. To and too are differences in spelling 
the same word. From the idea of ad-d\t\on implied in to, we 
gain the idea o^ too. 

To heere. Gerundial inf. 

21. for the nones. See note P., 379. 

26. Tempest, a time specially to be remembered. See note 
P., 406. Tyrwhitt reads temple. 

hoom comynge. Can be construed as a compound noun. 

27. as now ^= for the present, however; cf. Lat. utcunque. 



192 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

28. God wot ^= God "knows; a mild form of asseveration. 

ere = plough. Earth is from this root. "I have a rough 
valley which is neither eared nor sown." Deut. xxi. 4. ''I have 
an half acre to erje." P.P. vi. 4. 

29. in my plough = attached to my plough. We use on in 
similar constructions. 

31. I vjol not leitc, &c. = I desire not to hinder any one of all 
this company. 

L,ette, inf. after wol. 

eek noji = none at all : literally, " also no one." 

32. aboute = in his turn. 

33. lat see = let us see. Pronoun omitted, or coalesced with 
verb, as though lat s'see. 

34. ther I lafte = where I left off. 

37. moste pryde = greatest pride. 

38. He zvas -war = he was aware. War denotes those habits 
implying caution, as looking around, also the results of such 
circumspection, knowledge ; cf. arvare, bezvare, wary. 

caste, pret. Verbs ending in t are often thus abbreviated. 

39. hye weye = highway. High refers not to altitude, but to 
prominence, — opposed to (5j'-way. So A.S. heah synn = a great 
sin, and English high sea. 

40. tweye and tiveye^ two and two; by twos. 

41. Ech after other = (each) one after another. Other is not 
now used in such constructions without the article. Other is in 
form comparative and strictly means the second of two, and 
thus in A.S. is frequently used where we use second ; cf. Lat. 
alter = secundus. 

43. creattcre, trissyllable. 

44. That herde = that ever heard. 

such another = another such. We say such a, but not such 
another, because of the duality implied in another; if the dis- 
tributive force of another had been retained, the old form would 
be more correct; cf. many a. See note, P. 168. 

48. Pertourben — disturb. We have retained the noun per- 
turbation, but the verb is obsolete. 

50. that thus = that ye thus, &c. That correlates with so in 
the preceding line. 

52. telleth, imp. And tell me (what is the matter) if it is 
any thing that may be amended. 

53. And why = tell me why. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 193 

al in blak = wholly in black. 

56. Routhe = sorrovffu\\ WteYaWy sorrow. jRui/i less is current, 
but riil/i is obsolete. 

/or to seen or keere, gerundial inf. triste visu, aiidituque. 
57o Fortune. Personified as the goddess of Fortune. 
59. N^oug-kt = no ivki't = in no respect, ace. of measure. 

62. ^^«r^== through. 

63. ivrecckede = wretched. A.S. ivraec, banished, -wraecca^ 
an exile. What an intense patriotism is summed up in this 
designation of the exile as the wretch ! As these women had 
been banished, the word retains its original force. 

65. That soke = who ; cf. that he, P. 43-45 ; that his = whose, 
K. 1852. This use of the demonstrative with t/iat is common in 
A.S. ; e.g., the tve = we ; t/iu the = who ; the he = who ; the his = 
whose; the him, to whom, &c. See March, A.S. Gram. § 380, 2. 

66. // is tvel seene = it is easily seen, — it is easy to see. 

67. Wheel. The -wheel of Fortune alludes to the mutability 
of her favor. 

68. Who assures no condition to continue prosperous. 

69. abide?i = await. The active force of the prefix is lost ; 
bide is now active, as " bide one's time," while abide is usually 
neuter. 

70. Scan: Herein | the tempi' | of the | goddesse ] Clemence. 

71. al this fourtenight = fully this fortnight. The A.S. reck- 
oned time by nights and winters. 

72. syth = since. " Sith thou hast not hated blood." Ezek. 
XXXV. 6. 

73. I ivrecche = I the wretch. 
which that = who. 

75. cursed. See note, P. 655. 

78. We losten alle =^ we all lost. " In many things we offend 
all." Jas. iii. 2. 

79. ther aboute = thereabout; literally, about this. 

80. And yet, notwithstanding what we have already suffered. 

81. Who is now lord of the city Thebes. 

83. /or despyt = because of his malice. 

84. To do vileinye = to cause disgrace to. Do is here used 
causatively, — "do you to wit." 

vileinye = the act of a villain; that which marks a villain, 
disgrace. 

85. 0/ alle oure lordes, limits bodies, in next line. 

13 



194 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

90. ivithoute more respite^ without further delay. 

91. They fillen gruf=^\\\Q.y {q\\ flat on the ground. Gruf= 
on the ground. "On the groffe"^flat on the ground. We 
find also g-rubblings ^= with, the face downward. The root is 
probably to be found in the Danish grabbelen, to crawl, Eng. 
grovel. 

94. cotirser^ horse; literally, a runner; hence, a fleet horse; 
also a horse used in hunting. " Un cheval courster, c'est a dire un 
cheval reserve a la course, par opposition aux chevaux de trait." 
Brachet, 165. 

96. Him thought = it seemed to him. See note P., 37. 

99, he hem alle up hente = he took them all up. 

100. in ful good entente = with very kind intention. 

102. He tx'olde don = he would endeavor. Do is here used 
causatively. 

ferforthly his might = according to his might. Might must 
be construed as dative after the implied comparative. 

104. That., correlative oi so., 1. 102. 

106. As he that = as one who. He that = who. For this in- 
definite use oiwho see note P., 741. 

108. baner = banner. " The origin is in all probability Goth. 
bandvo, bandva, a sign, token, an intimation made by bending 
the head or hand. The original object of a standard is to serve 
as a mark or sign for the troop to rally round, and it was accord- 
ingly very generally known by a name having that signification." 
Wedgwood. 

desplayeth = displays. Displaying the banner was the signal 
for the troops to assemble for military service. 

109. byside = near ; with him. Here used adverbially, unless 
we supply the pronoun. 

111. Nor take his ease a whole half day. 7^?^//y qualifies half 
used adjectively. 

112. But onward ^=^ but at a distance on his way. 

117. Scan : The reed | e stat | u'of Mars | &c. 

118. his ; i e., Theseus's. 

119. feeldes = the fields or open spaces of the banner. Some 
take the word to mean folds. 

120. pynou?i = pennon. The banner was the standard of the 
army; the pennon was the personal signal of the leader. 

121. Of gold ful riche. A.S. gen. of material ; modifies i-bete. 
In which there was forged of gold full rich the Minotaur. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 195 

/-3e/e = beaten. "Probably stamped; that operation being 
anciently, I suppose, performed by the hammer." Tyrwhitt. 
124. And the flower of chivalry (rides) in his host. 
Hoost = host. Lat. /losti's, an enemy. 

126. ^e thoughte jighte^=\iQ^ purposed to fight. Thought is 
from A.S. thencan ; the intransitive thought, followed by the 
dative, is from thincaji. 

127. But, to speak briefly, he fought with Creon, who was 
king of Thebes. 

129. as a knight ^^ like a knight. As is a contraction o^ all-so, 
with the sense oi Just as, just so. 

130. In fleyn baitaille = in open battle. 
putte, p. of put. 

135. To don exequies = to perform funeral rites. 

136. al to longe = too tedious. 

139. hodyes. A.S. hodig generally means stature, and is but 
rarely used to designate the body. "The primary sense of body 
is the thick round part of the living frame, as distinguished from 
the limbs or lesser divisions ; then the whole material frame as 
distinguished from the sentient principle by which it is ani- 
mated." Wedgwood. 

146. as him leste^^ as it pleased him. 

148. streepe^^to strip. A.S. be-strypan ; cf. stripe, strip, 
strap, strop. The original idea of the verb is to pull off" strips ; 
hence applied to plundering the dead by taking off" their cloth- 
ing; also figuratively to a stripping of the living, which leaves 
them equally bare. 

herneys ^= 2iYvc\ov . See note P., 114. 

we(fe = clothing. Still retained in "widows' weeds," and 
from this restriction to mourning attire, noting also an emblem 
of mourning worn upon a man's hat. Weed, a noxious plant, 
is probably from the Dutch -wieden, to cleanse, although Trench 
says, " 'Weeds' were whatever covered the earth or the person." 
Eng. Past and Pres., 253. 

149. pilours. See notes P., 177, 627. 

diden business and cure = exercised diligence and care. To 
ransake, 1. 147, depends upon this verb. 

151. Atid so byjil=^ and so it happened. 

152. Thurgh-girt='p\QYced through. An ox is said to gird 
with his horns. 

153. by-ajid-by= close to each other, — one after the other. 



196 NOTES TO TEE KNIORTES TALE, 

*' Of that the planetes by and by 
How that thej stonde upon the sky." 

Gower iii. 116. 
'^'By and by he is offended;" i.e., immediately. Matt. xiii. 21. 
Morris explains by and by = separately, which seems to me erro- 
neous, as the original force of by is near. 

154. in oon armes = with the same armorial device. Arms 
in the plural denoting a singular idea is construed in the sin- 
gular. 

155. ^/lat oon = the one ; in which case the retains its original 
demonstrative force : so that other = the other. 

157. Nat fully quyke = not fully alive. " Let them go down 
quick (alive) into hell." Ps. Iv. 15. 

Ne fully deede=^ nor fully dead. Neither dead nor alive. 

159. Heraudes = heralds. An officer whose duty it was to 
record the arms of the nobility. From heri, an army, and -wal- 
ten, to manage. 

in special = especially. 

i6i. .s/^/A'ew = sisters ; still sometimes heard in vulgar use ; cf, 
brethren, an analogous plural in en. 

162. torn implies rapid rather than violent action. 

164. ful sone = very soon, at once. 

166. he nolde = he would not (take) any ransom. Nolde = 
ne ivolde = wished not. « 

171. Terme of his lyf= to the end of his life. Lat. termitius. 

what needeth -wordes moo = what need is there of more words. 
Literally, "As to what does it need more words?" 

176. Til it fel oones = till it happened on a time. 
In a morive = on a morning. 

177. to seene = to see. 

180. ivith the rose colour = with the colour of the rose. J^ose 
is genitive; cf. Ladye grace. P., 88. 

Strof hire hewe^ vied her complexion. 

181. I not = r ne -wot =^l'know not. 

183. redy. A.S. rad, quick, ready; com^. rather. So E.E. 
rathe, e2iY\y. " The rathe primrose." Milton. 

185. The sesotm priketh ; cf. P., 11. 

186. him, grammatically, refers to herte ; logically, to the per- 
son figuratively designated by herte. 

187. do their observance = perform religious rites. Here 
spoken of as performed in honour of May. 



NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 197 

188. " This caused Emily to have remembrance (to remem- 
ber) to do honor to May." This circumlocution is frequent in 
the Bible. 

190. for to devyse = to describe (her). The different descrip- 
tive clauses depend upon to devyse. Morris points — I-clothed 
was sche fresshe for to devjse. 

192. yerde = a yard long. See note P., 149. 

193. Sonne u^riste = the sun's uprising. Sonne is gen. 

194. as hire liste^=2i% it may please her. Liste is here used 
impersonally. See note P., 102. 

195. party = partly. Fr. eti partie ; cf. particolored. 

196. Sotil = subtle. The Latin, subtilis, denoted Jine woven; 
hence delicately constructed, or denoting ingenuity, which is 
the meaning here. Metaphorically, it is used in a good sense 
= acute ; in a bad s5nse = sly. 

gerland ^^ garland, a crown or wreath. 

199. dongeoun — not noting a dark subterranean place of con- 
finement, as now, but simply a place of security. The origin of 
the word is the Lat. domnio for dominio. Sometimes spelled 
donjon; cf. the Celtic dun., a fortress. 

200. Ther as = where. 

201. Of zvkick, &c. = of whom I have already told you, and 
shall tell more. 

202. evene joynyjig = e-^?iCt\y joining, — so that the prison 
joined the garden wall. 

gardeyn ival. The genitive force of the first of the two nouns 
joined is shown by the reference of as to gardeyn— to the wall 
of the garden where, &c. 

203. hadde hire pleyynge = had her play-ground, — was accus- 
tomed to take her exercise. 

205. vjoful = i\x\\ of wo, or sorrow. 

206. by leve of his gayler = by permission of his jailer. 

/etye = leave, permission. A.S. leaf , which is still the collo- 
quial pronunciation. 

207. romede = roamed. This word has a curious history : it 
is derived from the name of the city Rome, and probably first 
came into use as a noun, — Romar being one who was a pilgrim 
to that Holy City. So in Pier's PI. iv. 120, we find : " And relig- 
ious romares recordare in here cloistres." The habits of these 
pilgrims were not generally very creditable, and hence the verb 
to roatn came to mean aimless and indefinite wandering. Saunter 



198 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

has a similar origin : it is from sainte terre, the holy land. Beg- 
gars roved about the country, and asked alms under the pretence 
of going a la sahtie terre. Hence a saunterer became the name 
of an idler, and to saunter.^ to walk idly. Cf. also rummage., 
spelled also romage. 

208. In which = from which ; being in which, he could see. 

211. ivalk=^2i going to and fro. A.S. ivealc, literally a 
revolving. The ivelkin denotes the sky, or more properly the 
clouds, which are in continual motion. The A.S. verb -wealcan 
= to roll, to return often ; hence, to walk, 

213. /'c»;;ze<fe = walked aimlessly. 

215. He said full oft, alas ! that he was born ! 

216. By aventure or cas===^ by adventure or chance. See notes 
P., 25, 844. 

217. thikke of many a bar re = thickly (s^) with many a bar. 
thikke denotes close together rather than the opposite of 

broad : of many a barre is an adjunct genitive, denoting the 
relation of the quality. 

218. 5^z^«r = square ; i.e., as large square: here denoting size 
as well as shape. The bars were as large as a spar or light tim- 
ber. 

219. Caste, pret. 

Scan : He caste | his eyen | upon | Emil | y-a | 

220. iherwithal = at that instant. Tker here = at that time 
rather than ift that place. There is used by Shakspeare for then. 
This is simply an intensive form of there. 

Bleynte, pr. of blenche, to start back. Blink is another form 
of the word, meaning a rapid movement of the eyelids ; hence 
any rapid movement, sometimes for the purpose of deceiving. 
The figure here is that the beauty of Emily blinded Palamon like 
a sudden light. 

222. up sterte = ?>i2iYi&d up. We use the noun formed from 
this compound, up-start. 

223. Cosyji my 71 = aovi^in of me, my cousin. Myn is genitive. 
eyleth the = aileth thee. The difference in spelling between 

the and thee is an orthographic expedient for distinguishing these 
words. 

224. That art = that thou art. When the subject of the verb 
is a pronoun, particularly of the second person, -which is the 
most easily distinguished because of its inflection, it is quite often 
omitted in questions. The same rule holds good in Shakspeare. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 199 

on to see ^= to look on, to behold. A.S. on-seon. We do not 
compound see with o«, but we still saj see through, see into. 

225. c/'j^e5/£»-rv = criedst thou. This contraction of the second 
person pronoun with the verb is common ; and is interesting as 
illustrating the mannei of forming the inflectional terminations 
by the coalescence of the pronominal element. In most inflected 
languages the pronominal force of the termination was so 
strongly remembered that when the subject of the verb was a 
pronoun, no repetition of it was necessary; and when the pro- 
nominal subject was used, it was understood as an emphatic 
repetition. 

Me = thee, dative. 

226. Goddes = Q[OiX^. The apostrophe in our possessive case 
singular marks the elision of e; in the plural, it regularly marks 
the elision of final a ; but often it is not significant, but is used 
analogically with the singular. 

227. 71071 others no otherwise. Other is used adverbially = 
in other way. 

229. Tvikke aspect =: malign aspect. In the time of astrology, 
the position (aspect) of the planets at the time of one's birth, 
was supposed to have a controlling influence upon his destiny. 
Some of these astrological terms have passed into common use, 
■x% jovial, from Jupiter; saturnine, from Saturn, who was sup- 
posed to presage a hapless lot to one born under his influence ; 
mercurial, from Mercury ; lunatic from the moon : so also the 
word injiuejice seems to allude to the same notion. 
" The highest and aboven alle 

Stant that planete which men calle 

Saturnus, whose complexioun 

Is colde, and his condicioun 

Causeth malice and cruelte 

To him the whose nativity 

Is set under his governaunce. 

For all his werkes ben grievaunce, 

And enemy to mannes hele 

In what degre that he shall dele. 

Gower, Con. Am. iii. 116. 

231. although we hadde it sivorn = although we had sworn it 

otherwise, we must endure it. Morris punctuates this clause in 

connection with what precedes ; it seems to me to make a 

better reading to connect it wij;h the next line but one. Although 



200 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

must then be taken as an emphatic form of though = though by all 
means, the emphasis implying a negative. See 1. 312, where though 
= though otherwise. Hadde is subj. 

" And walk I wold, as I hadde don biforn 
Fro hous to hous, although he had it sworn." Wif of B. 639. 

232. So stood the heven ^such was our horoscope. 

233. the schort and pley?i = iho, short and plain fact, — as we 
say "the long and short of it." 

234. ageyji=\r\ reply. Again and against are from the A.S. 
gcan, Ger. gegen, opposite. Gean is usually compounded with 
prepositions as on^ to., Sic. It gets the meaning ''at another 
time " from the idea of juxtaposition in space. Cf. there ^ then ; 
where = when. 

235. Jvr sothe^= in truth ; forsooth. 

2^6. ymaginacioun = conception. "To imagine certainly^ 
meant, in its original conception, to make pictures, to picture to 
ourselves ; but even to picture is far too mixed an idea to have 
been expressed by a simple root. Imago., picture, stands for 
mimago, as iinitor for mimitor, the Greek mimeoinai^ all from a 
root nia., to measure again and again, to copy, to imitate." M. 
Muller, Sc. of Lang. 358. 

237. This ;prisoun = this imprisonment, — cause put for effect. 

239. that refers to the idea of the antecedent sentence, — the 
hurt. 

241. rome, infinitive. We would say roaini?ig. 

243. /«<?/^ /«& wo^ = I know not. 

Scan : I not | wheth'r sche | be wom | man or | goddesse. 
whether was sometimes pronounced and spelled like where. 

244. Venus is it ; cf. it is I. It is used when the subject is 
indefinite or unknown. 

245. 071 knees, equivalent to an adverb. We say aback., A.S. 
onbaec ; ahead, for on-head ; afoot, for on-foot, and why not a- 
knee for on-knees .-* 

247. Thus to transfigure yourself in this garden. 

Tow. There is no simple reflexive pronoun in English; it is 
generally, but not always, formed by adding self, selves to the 
personals. 

249. The usual construction in modern English would be, 
" Help us to escape," &c. The construction in the text is an 
imitation of the Latin. 

5Crt/e=i escape. The original of this word is probably allied 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 20I 

to A.S. camp, battle; so that escape would originally mean to 
escape from battle. 

250. if so be = if it so be. 

sckape == shapen, shaped, fixed. " There's a divinity that 
shapes our ends." Shak. 

252. lynage ^WnedigQ, race. Fr. lignage^ Lat. linea, a line. 
Lynage is here in the genitive after have conipassioun = pity. 

254. gan cspye=^ did see, saw, looked. See note P., S27. 

256. hicrte = wounded. The original meaning seems to be 
wounded by something thrown., cf. hurtle. 

237. if that =: if it be that, if. 

262. ;;?^rcy=pity. Fr. merci., literally ^«v, Lat. nierces. 

263. atte teste weye = at least ; cf. colloquial least-ways. 

264. I nam but deed = I am dead ; literally, I am not except 
dead, — I am only dead. No but was frequently used in E.E. for 
except. " No but a man schal be born agen." John iii. 3 
(Wiclif). 

ther nys no ?nore to 5eyc = there is no more to say; there is 
nothing else to say. 

268. by }ny fey = hj my faith. 

269. God helpe me 50 = may God so help me. The verb is 
subj. ; cf. " God do so to me and more also." Bible. 

me lust ful evele pleye = it pleases me full ill to play. Ful 
ivele modifies lust. 

270. gan knytte = knitted, knit. 

271. // ?iere, &c. = It were no great honor to thee. 

272. For to be fals. The infinitive is here construed as a 
substantive after the preposition. 

274. i-swore ful deepe = very firmly sworn. Deepe, deeply 
seems to allude to the practice of binding a compact by drinking 
together. 

Eche of us to other = each of us to the other. We prefix the 
article to other. "Let each esteem other." Phil. ii. 3. 

275. "That never for (fear of) dying by torture," &c. That 
is here the sentence-article which in modern English is not used 
with the infinitive. For originally means in front of ; hence it 
may be, as here, nearly equivalent to to prevejtt ; cf. : 

" And over that an habergeon for percing of his hert." 

Rime of Sir Thopas. 
The payjie = torture ; to deyen in the payjie = to die by tor- 
ture. 



202 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

" It nedeth nought to pyne you with the corde." K., 888. 
"Me were lever die in the paine." R.R., 3326. 
Morris renders this verse: "That never, even though it cost us 
a miserable death." 

276. The deeth = death. The article hy its demonstrative 
force adds emphasis : we can only use it with an intervening 
adjective, as, " the inevitable death." 

Departe = separate. De here is from di or dis, denoting sep- 
aration. The old reading of the marriage service was, "Til death 
us depart," which becoming unintelligible was corrupted into 
do ;part. " That he depart with me the eritage." Luke xii. 13 
(Wiclif). 

277. To hyjidren^ to be construed with t-swore, 1. 274. 

282. Tkoji durst it nat ivithsayn = thou durst it not deny. 
With has here its primitive force, denoting opposition. 

283. Thus ; i.e., by thine oath. Thus is the A.S. instrumental 
thys = by this. 

Of my counseil = my adviser. Cf. the legal phrase "to be of 
"counsel." 

284. ben abouie = rQQ.dy to. The first meaning of about is 
around ; hence, metaphorically, to cofnpass a matter in the mind, 
to intend; cf. "compassing the king's death." 

286. unto myji herte sterve = until my heart shall die. 

unto = until. Now generally denotes space rather than time. 

sterve ■=^ die. Here used in subj. Notice that this subj. form 
takes, in modern English, the auxiliary shall. The idea of con- 
tingency involved in the subjunctive readily implies futurity, as 
futurity may also imply contingency. 

287. thou schalt not so = thou oughtest not (to say) so. Schal, 
in Chaucer, often implies obligation, and must be construed as 
a leading verb. 

288. /^e=thee: dative. 

289. As to my counseil = as to my adviser : one bound in honor 
to assist me. Morris renders coufzseil by advice, which hardly 
seems admissible. The figure seems to be taken from the rela- 
tion of a legal adviser to a client. 

7ny brother szvorn to forthre me, in the same construction as 
counseil, and an elaboration of the same idea. Counsel would 
be bound in honor to assist him; a brother would still further be 
bound by aflfection : to which he also adds his obligation as a 
knight. 



NOTES TO TEE KNIQHTES TALE. 203 

293. / dar ivel sayn = I dare with reason to say. 

294. agayn = in reply. 

295. Thou schalt be rather fals, &c. Thou art sure to be 
false before me, — sooner than I. On this use oi schal, cf. 1. 287. 

296. utterly ^=\vho\\y. Gower (iii. 230) writes oulirely, as from 
Lat. ultra. 

2^*]. J)ar amour ^with (human) love. See 1. 301. 

er thozv=^ before thou didst. 

298. What vjolt thotc sayn. Arcite here assumes the character 
of a special pleader (counseil), and goes into legal subtleties. It 
is worthy of note, how the poet has prepared the way for this 
scene by the use of the word counseil, 1. 283. 

300. " Thine is the affection one may have for a saint." 

304. I pose = 1 put the case; I suppose. Ci. poser, a puzzling 
question, such as are asked by lawyers in a cross-examination. 

305. the olde clerkes sawe = the old writer's saying. The old 
clerk is Boethius, from whom Chaucer has borrowed largely. 

306. T^a^ refers to the saying quoted; cf. "Did he %2iy that 
he would come? " 

307. by my pan = by my head. 

308. be yeve to any, &c. = be given to any. Tyrwhitt reads 
of any=hy any. 

309. posityf laive ^= e-^^Ye?,s enactment; statute law. 
such decre = such stipulation. 

310. in ech degree = in every rank of life. 

311. needes ^= needi^, necessarily. "And he must needs go 
through Samaria." John iv. 4. 

Maugre his heed = in spite of his head. 

"And God wot that is malgre min " [in spite of me]. 

Gower, Con. Am. ii. 3. 

312. though he schulde be deed = though (if he does not flee it) 
he must die. On though, see note 1. 231. 

313. a/ = although, albeit that; cf. 1. 1617. 

314. And eek it is, &c. = besides, to stand in her favor is not 
likely all thy life. It refers to to stonden. 

318. us gayneth no raunsoun = no ransom avails to us. 
320. here part = their share was nothing : neither received 
any part. 

324. " Let each man look out for himself; there is no other 
way." 

325. if the list = if it pleases thee. 



204 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

327. endure = to remain. " His mercj enduretli for ever." 

328. everych of us^ each one of us. 
330. " If I only had leisure to tell it." 

335. Syn thilke day = since that day. Tliilke = that same. 
337. to pleye = to enjoy himself. Hir, visit was partly for 
recreation. 

341. that oon = the one, one of them. 

sothly to telle = to speak truly, — to tell the story as it is. 

342. helle = hell, — the unseen world. A.S. kelan, to conceal. 
Cf. Greek, Hades. 

343. "But to write of that story is not my intention," — 
pleases me not. 

345. kadde him kno-we = had known him. 

yeer by yeer = year after year ; continually. " Day by day we 
magnify thee." See K., 175. 

350. In suck a g-yse=^ in such a manner; i.e., upon such con- 
ditions. 

352. kini Arctte = this Arcite. The third personal pronoun 
was originally' a demonstrative, and hence was declined in the 
three genders. See 1. 355, "this Theseus." 

353. if so TV ere ^^ if so it were; if so it should happen. The 
omission of the subject pronoun in impersonal constructions is 
common in Chaucer. "And so byfel," K., 151, 216; "as hire 
liste," 194; " if so be," 250; " lyst me," 343. 

356. and =^ if . The contingency is expressed by the subj., 
and being the connective. When the contingent force of the 
verb was lost, (f wsls added, so that we find and if: but is used 
precisely in the same way, where later we find but if " And they 
shall say to you, See here, or See there." Luke xvii. 23. 

-were caught connected by and to ivere yfounde-, 1. 353. We 
would omit he or repeat if 

359. But took his leave = but he took his leave. Subject 
omitted. Tyrwhitt reads taketk. 

360. be ■war= be cautious. Usually written beware, 
litk to ivedde = lieth in pledge. 

362. The deth — he feeleth death smite through his heart. 
See note, 1. 276. 

364. " He watcheth for an opportunity to slay himself 
secretly." 

365. Alias the day, &c. I?ay is ace. ; cf. Lat. heu me miserum. 
367. Now is me schafe^ now is it appointed for me. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 205 

io divelle is the subject of is ; me is dative. 

368. Scan : Nought | in pur | gato | rie but | in helle. 

373. Oonly qualifies sighte as a verbal = the seeing. 

378. il/a/5/c?w = majest thou. See note, 1. 225. 

379. paradys, to be pronounced par'dys. 

380. ytorned the = turned for thee. 

■^Si. for possible is ^=^OT it is possible. The sentence begin- 
ning 1. 384, is the subject of is. '^ 

388. erihe, ivater, fyr, ne eyr. Earth, water, fire, and air 
were called the four elements, as from them all things were 
supposed to have been made. Cicero says, " Omnia elementa 
sunt quatuor," 

" Of this four elements ech quik thing j-maked is, 
Of urthe, of water, and of ejr, and of fier, i-wis." 

Pop. Treat, on Science, p. 138. Wright. 

389. creature, trissyllable. 

390. me heipe. Me is dative after kelpe, as in A.S. 

doon cojifort ^^ ?i^ord me comfort. The termination here 
shows that t/c»o« is infinitive ; the final e in kelpe indicates the 
same construction. 

391. Wei oughte /= I must indeed. See note P., 505. "Wei 
oughte we to don." 2d Nonnes Tale, 6. So also as an imper- 
sonal : " Wei oughte us werke." lb. 14. 

■wayihope = despair. A beautiful old Saxon word, which is 
unfortunately obsolete. " Wanhope, — hope that has wholly 
waned." Trench. 

396. hejnself^ themselves. Hem is here dative pi. = the self 
to them : so himself retains the dative form, which is now gen- 
erally used as an accusative, and = the self to him. 

397. Som man = one man. Sotn . . . som = one . . . another. 
Used indefinitely like Lat. ^uis. 

richesse = riches. This word is singular, although from the 
termination it appears to be plural. 

398. "That is (proves to be) the cause of his murder." 
morthre = murder. Still a vulgar pronunciation. 

399. "And another man would fain (be) out of his prison." 
After -would the dependent verb is frequently omitted. 

400. That — /5 = who . . . after his wish is granted is slain by 
his servants. 

401. /;>2/f»zVg = unnumbered, — usually restricted to measure 
of wholes, and followed by a singular noun. 



2o6 NOTES TO THE KNIQHTES TALE. 

402. " We know not what it is that we pray for here." 
frayen = pray for, ask. We pray to a person for a thing. 

In A.S. the construction was either the ace. with the gen. or the 
dative with the gen. 

403. dronke = drunk : literally p.p. of drink. 

as a mows, alluding probably to the motions of a mouse when 
caught by a cat. The bite of the cat is said to partially benumb 
or stupefy the mouse. 

405. " But he knows not which is the right way thither." 

410. we seyen alle. The natural order would seem to be all 
we; e.g., "All we like sheep have gone astray," Is. liii. 6; but 
'* the unemphatic nature of the nominatives we and they prevents 
us from saying 'all we.'" Abbott, § 240. "We offend all." 
James iii. 2. 

namelyche = especially, — mentioned by name, and hence 
prominent. So Lat. nominatim. 

411. gret opinioun = 2i strong conviction; cf. "the opinion 
(i.e. decision) of a judge." 

413. Tkan hadde I ben = then had I been : /lad is subj. and 
we may read : " then would I have been." 

414. T/ier has here a double force = there where ; or, more 
fully, "who thought that I would be in perfect well-being in that 
condition in which I am indeed exiled from my weal." 

415. I may not sen = I am not able to see. 

416. nam — nys = ne am — ne is. 

417. that other syde = the other side. We say " on the other 
hand." Either expression denotes opposition or contrast. 

421. The pure fettres = the very fetters. So in the Duchess, 
1. 582, " the pure deth." The Greeks used Kadapog, and the Latin 
purus in a similar manner. 

423. myn of me, gen. 

"And God wot that is malgre min." Gower, Con. Am. ii. 3. 

424. " In all our strife, God knows, the advantage is thine." 

425. at thi large = at large, free. Large is here used as a 
noun; cf. " at his large," 1. 469; cf. French, au large. 

426. And of my woo, &c. Thou givest little heed to my wo. 

431. to lady and to wyf= for a lady and for a wife. This con- 
struction is an imitation of the A.S. and is common in E.E. 
" We have Abraham to our father." Matt. iii. 9. "Wehabbath 
A. us to faeder," A.S. This construction with the double dative 
is also frequent in Latin. 



NOTES TO THE KNIQHTES TALE. 207 

lady here means lover or mistress, as distinguished from wife. 
The root of this word seems to be the Icel. lavdi, written in A.S. 
klavedi, domtfta. The usual derivation from an assumed hlaf- 
wardige is probably untenable. 

432. ivhom that = whom. 

I mot needes leese my lyf; i.e., through the ardor of my affec- 
tion. 

433. as by Tvey of possibilite = as being in the way to take 
advantage of circumstances. Your advantage is great as com- 
pared with mine, as there is a possibility of your success. 

by ivey of — because of. 

444. box-tree; i.e., in color yellow, denoting jealousy. 

445. O cruel Goddes, &c. Goddes here is plural. 

447. rvriten, past plural of write. The past singular is wrat, 
or -wrote. The past plural of most A. S. verbs had a diflferent 
vowel from the past singular: e.g., sing; past singular sang^ 
past plural sungon. Hence the confusion in such verbs between 
the forms in a and «, — sang or sung ; drank or drunk. 

448. parlement = decree, determination ; agent for act. I 
punctuate with an exclamation point here; Morris has a comma. 
The exclamation begins, " O cruel Goddes." What follows should 
be pointed as an interrogation. 

450. rouketk = huddle, lie close. 

" But now they rucken in her nest." Gower, Con. Am. ii. 57. 

451. right as another beest ^ ]ust as though he were another 
beast. 

455- " What control (advantage) is there in this foreknowl- 
edge that tormenteth guiltless innocence .-^ " 

456. tormenteth Lat. torme7itum {torquere, to twist) an instru- 
ment for hurling missiles by the recoil of a twisted rope ; hence 
an instrument of torture where the force is applied in a similar 
manner : as a verb, to cause severe pain. 

458. to his observaunce = to his religious duty. Observantia 
had in Latin the meaning religion. See 1. 187 and note. 

459. to letten of his -voille = to refrain from his will. 

460. Ther as = where : in that case where. 

463. ^«t/e= may have. Subj. 

464. it may stonde so = it must be (remain) so. Jlfay some- 
times denotes moral possibility, when it is nearly equivalent to 
must. 



2o8 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTE8 TALE. 

465. answer of this = the solution of this (problem). A71- 
swer is usually followed by to. 

I lete=^ leave. Allied to late ; as the slower of two bodies, 
is left by the other, let comes to have this meaning. See 1. 459. 

Scan : Th' answer | of this | I let | e to | divinis. 

468. trexve man = an upright man. Dative after doon, to 
cause. This use of ^<? is common. 

469. Gon — tur?ie, infinitives after 5e. When a clause is the 
object of a verb, the verb in the clause must be in the infinitive; 
e.g., " I heard him say." 

■wher him lust may ^^ where it may please him. "To go at 
his pleasure and turn withersoever it may please him." 
at his large. See 1. 425 and note. 

470. thurg Saturne. See 1. 230, and note 1. 229. 

471. Juno was the goddess who presided over marriage. She 
is represented as " jalous and wood " and hindering his mar- 
riage with his beloved. 

472. ivel neyh = very nearly: " my steps had well nigh 
slipped." Ps. Ixxiii. 2. 

473. " With its widely ruined walls." 

474. on that other syde = on the other hand. See 1. 417. 

475. fere of him Arcite = fear of (that) Arcite. Se& note, 1. 

352. 

477. stille dvoelle = quietly remain. 

478. forth — telle = I will continue the story of Arcite. 

480. double 7vise=in a duplicate manner; i.e., similarly to 
each. 

482. myster = mode of life ; literally, occupation. Perhaps 
better here rendered by need, necessity, as Morris gives it. See 
note P., 1. 613. 

483. schortly for to seyn = to be brief. 

484. damjbned = doomed, condemned. Danmed is now a 
stronger expression than the formal intensive condeinned. 

486. exiled ufon his heed = exiled, upon the penalty of death 
if he returned. 

487. as out of that contre, to be construed with exiled. 

488. axe = ask. The vulgar pronunciation of this word, which 
we find here in Chaucer, is as old as the A.S. 

491. That on^= the one; correlates with that other, 1. 493. 
day by day = continually, day after day. See 1. 345. 
493. -wher him lust = where it pleases him. 



NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 209 

495. as you luste = as it may please yoii : luste is subj. 

Tou — ye. In E.E. ye is the nominative form, while you was 
used in the ace. and dat. Te is obsolete. 

t/iat can = that know how to decide such questions. 

496. telle forth = tell on, — continue my story. 

497. comen was = was come, had come. Comen is p.p. 

498. Ful ofte a day = many times a day. A day must here be 
construed as an adverbial element = in one day. A.S. anes 
daeges. See note P., 168. This may be the A.S. on, as " on 
daeg seofon sithum syngath," seven times a day. Luke xvii. 4. 

he swelte = he sighed. This word has passed to the meaning 
of severely suffering with heat; e.g., "sweltering in the sun," as 
starve has acquired the specific meaning of dying of hunger. 

502. 5c^«/= shall be. 

503. him byraft = taken from him. Him is dative. 

506. /a/we = pale ; yellow. Cf. "fallow-ground," so called 
from the yellowish color of the soil. 

508. waillyjig. Some read ivakyng. 

511. 5/)^>/Vg5 ^ spirits ; i.e., "animal spirits," — a spirit sup- 
posed to circulate through the body, as the essence of life. 
"Spirits is a most subtile vapour, which is expressed from the 
blood. Of these spirits there be three kinds, — natural, vital, 
animal. The natural are begotten in the liver, and thence dis- 
persed through the veins to perform those natural actions. The 
vital spirits are made in the heart of the natural, which by the 
arteries are transported to all the other parts ; if the spirits cease, 
then life ceaseth, as in a syncope. The animal spirits are formed 
of the vital, brought up to the brain and diffused hy the nerves 
to the subordinate members, give sense and motion to them all." 
Burton, Anat. Mel., 96. 

513. herde = though one should hear it; subj. 

514. geere ^^ demeanor. A.S. gearzva, clothing; hence the 
external appearance, or acts which indicate any particular state 
of mind. 

for all the -world ^=^ {ore all the world, — a statement to be 
maintained before (or, in spite of) all the world. 

515. "And in his manner, for all the world, he acted not only 
like [one afflicted with] the Lovers' malady of Eros, but rather 
like [one afflicted with the] mania engendred of 'humor melan- 
cholic' in the 'cell fantastic' before [in the fore part of the 
head]." The " malady of Eros" is that " heroical love which is 

14 



2IO NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

proper to men and women." The "mania" is a sort of melan- 
choly or monomania. "The part affected, as Arnoldus sup- 
poseth, is the former part of the head, for want of moisture." 
Burton, Anat. Mel. " All [authors] make leanness, want of ap- 
petite, want of sleep, ordinary symptoms, and by that means they 
[the subjects] are brought often so low, so much altered and 
changed that, as he [Terence Eun.] jested in the comedy, one 
scarce knew them to be the same men." lb. Burton quotes this 
passage, saying " So he describes it — love-melancholy — aright." 

517. wawje = mania ; dat. after /z'^^. 

518. selle fantastyk. " Inner senses are three, . . . common 
sense, phantasy, memory. . . . His [phantasy's] organ is in the 
middle cell of the brain." Burton. 

519. uj)-so-doun =^ upsidedown. So is the old relative, cor- 
rupted into side. 

522. <7/(f«y^=all day ; used adverbially. 

526. Upon a night. On with the dative in A.S. denoted time 
when "On tham thriddan daege." John ii. i. 

As he him leyde ^= As he laid him (down) in sleep. 

527. Him tkotighte= it seemed to him. 

529. His slepy yerde ^his sleep-producing wand. 

" Tum virgam capit; hac animas ille evocat Oreo 
Palentis, alias sub Tartara tristia mittit, 
Dat somnos, adimitque, et lumina morte resignat." 

Virgil, Aen. iv. 242. 
" Adjectives signifying effect were often used to signify the 
cause." Abbott, § 4. 

530. heres= hairs. We use the singular in a collective sense 
to denote the mass of hair covering the head, and the plural to 
denote a collection of single hairs. 

531. as he took keepe^^ as he observed. 

533. seyde him. = said to him. 

534. Ther is the schapen = there is determined (prepared) for 
thee. 

535. 5/er/e = started, arose quickly. 

536. that me smerte^^^ that pained me. 

540. / recche nat to sterve = I reck not to die ; I care not if I die. 
543. in another kynde= in another nature. 
" It is all one to say unkinde 
As thing which done is ayein kinde " [nature]. 

Gower, Con. Am. ii. 292. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 211 

544. it ran him into mynde = it occurred to him ; literally, 
' it ran into the mind to him." Cf. " to call to mind." 

546. Of maladie = by the malady. Gen. of cause. 

547. if that he bar him loive = if he conducted himself in a 
Jowly manner; i.e., like one of low birth. 

549. ivel neih day by day = almost every day. 

550. right ano7t = immediately'. 

552. alone — alle one, — alle being used adverbially. Al alone 
is therefore alle alle one. The A.S. aji = (i) one; (2) single, 
sole. The prefix al had originally precisely the force which all 
now has in all alone. 

" But for he may not all him o?ie 
In sondry places do justice." 

Gower, Con. Am. iii. 178. 
" The king which made him inuchel mone 

Tho stood as who saith all him one" lb. iii. 285. 
" And taer he ledde him ane his lif." Orm. 3204. 
the use of hijn in these extracts illustrates also the construction 
of him in himself 

554, disgysed povrely as he tvas = clothed poorly like his 
master for the sake of concealment. 

555. the nexte way = the nearest way. The x is due to the 
coalescence of guttural h with 5. A.S. neah, near ; neahst, nearest, 
next. Way in A.S. would be in the gen. ; it must here be con- 
strued as ace. 

558. what so 7nen wol devyse = (to do) whatever one would 
direct. 

men = one; the indefinite pronoun, as shown by wol, which 
is singular, the pi. being wolden.- 

560. fel in office = he entered service ; cf. military order " fall 
in." 

561. The which that = who, the one that, — the which = a 
demonstrative. 

562. For explains the reason why he had been selected as 
chamberlain for Emily 

couthe sone aspye = could soon discover (the character) of 
every servant. 

564. he now refers to Arcite. 

566. strong- " A strong man means no more than one whose 
sinews are firmly strung." Trench. 

567. that = that that. Abbott (Shak. Gr. § 244) suggests that 



212 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

the omission of the relative may be explained by the fact that 
the relative and demonstrative have the same form. 
kim, dative. 

568. yeer. ace. of time. 

569. Page, a servant, especially a youth. Cf. Gr. naidiov. 
572. 0/ his degree, refers to mati, 1. 571. 

576. enkaunse his degree = elevate his station. " He that shal 
meeke hym self shal ben enhaunsid." Matt, xxiii. 12 (Wiclif). 

577. 'worschij)ful = honorable; cf. "worshipful master," 
"worshipful society." Shak. "Worship thi fader and thi 
moder." Luke xviii. 20 (Wiclif). 

578. ■.yer/^ = ability. See note P., 515. "Jesus knowing that 
virtue had gone out of him." Mark v. 30. 

579. ■wiiJiinjie a ivhile = within a (little) while. 
spronge = sprang up, became known. 

580. of his dedes, &c., gen. of cause after spronge. 

581. taken him so nee r ^=^ become so intimate with him; cf. 
" to take to one." 

582. sqtiyer = squire, knight of his chamber; literally, shield- 
bearer, hence, servant. 

586. honestly = becoming one of his station. " Provide things 
honest [honorable] in the sight of all men." Rom. xii. 17. 

5/g/^/^/y = prudently. "The O.E. sleigh, sly = wise, know- 
ing; and sleight = wisdom, knowledge. For change of meaning 
compare cutming, originally knowledge, and craft, originally 
power." Morris. 

587. That = so that. 

Hoiv that = how it was that; from whence. Hoiv is properly 
the instrumental case of the interrogative. 

588. yeer = years. Still vulgarly used. A.S. sing, and pi. 
gear. 

589. bar him so = so conducted himself. The personal pro- 
nouns are often used as reflexives, without self 

591. lete ==^ leave. A.S. laetan. Let, to hinder, is from A.S. 
lettan. 

594. This seven yeer. A period considered as a definite portion 
of time was construed in the singular; e.g., " a fortnight," " an 
eight days after." Luke ix. 28. 

seten p.p. of sitte = remained. Set, causative, A.S. settan, 
has p. sette, p.p. geset. Eng. set, set, set. 

595. "JO hat for woo, &c. = partly for wo and partly for restraint. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGETES TALE. 213 

The following lines elaborate this idea. Supply what with /or 
distresse. Woo refers to his passion. 
" Till what bj sleight and what by strength." Gower ii. 388. 

^/5/rg55e = restraint, confinement; cf. "distress of goods." 
Chaucer uses the verb destreyn in this sense. 

596. double ; i.e., through love and imprisoninent. 

601. ryme = tell in poetry. A.S. rim, number: so rttn- 
craeft = arithmetic ; rim-stafas = number letters, the A.S. poetry 
being alliterative. Rhyme, therefore, means lines with num- 
bered syllables. The word has no connection with rhythm. 
Trench says : " Rhyme with a j is a modern misspelling; and 
would never have been but for the undue influence which the 
Greek ' rhythm ' has exercised upon it. Spenser and his con- 
temporaries spelt it ' rime.'" E. Past and Pres., 308. 

602. martirdam = martyrdom. The A.S. adopted ecclesias- 
tical terms from the Greek, and thus formed a series of mongrel 
words. 

it am 7iat /=it is not I. This is the regular construction in 
E.E. Am is used because it is seen to be a mere substitute for /. 
We require relatives to agree grammatically with their antece- 
dents. 

605. the thridde night = the night of the third of May. 

608. schal = must. A.S. sceal^^l owe, I must. '■'■ Skal, 
therefore, meant ' I have killed,' ' I must pay penance, wergeld ; ' 
hence, 'I am under an obligation,' 'I am obliged,' 'I must.'" 
Helfenstein, Com. Gr., 515. 

609. the mydnyght. We would omit the article here and sup- 
ply it with helping in the next line. The exigencies of the metre 
to a certain degree determine the presence or absence of the 
article, but its demonstrative force was felt much stronger in 
Chaucer's time than at present. The midnight = the midnight 
of the night mentioned above. 

611. Jleeth the cite. Fleeth is here used transitively. 

612. soo correlates with that, 1. 615. 

614. opye of Thebes fyn = pure opium of Thebes. Burton 
alludes to "opium from Thebes " as the best known. 

615. men 'Wolde^= one should. Wolde is subj. in which case 
we gQnQr2L\\y ns,e should, could. "It is a natural and common 
mistake to say would is used for should by Elizabethan writers." 
Abbott, § 329. 

616. mighte nought = could not, was unable to. 



214 NOTES TO THE KNIQETES TALE. 

617. as faste as evere he may =a.s fast as he possibly can. 
This use of ever for the sake of emphasis is still retained in col- 
loquial language. 

may^^= is able. A.S. magan. " Wherof schal a man mowe 
fille hem." Mark viii. 4 (Wiclif). We mowen not. C. T. 16, 149. 

618. faste ^_y = the day close by. Faste is used for emphasis 
like right, just, full, all; cf. "fast asleep." 

619. ?ieedes-cost ^^ needes ways, necessarily. Cost may per- 
haps be A.S. cyst, from ceosan, to choose. Tyrwhitt says that the 
sense of this passage is so obscure that he is inclined to adopt 
Urry's proposed amendment, " that needes cast "= that he must 
needs cast about or contrive. Morris says needes-cost seems to 
be equivalent to O.E. needes-wyse. 

620. /z7=to. So in A.S. and Norsk. This use oi till is now 
a common vulgarism. 

grove. A.S. graef from grafa?i, to carve, to dig; hence, a 
grove, a grave: Webster's Diet, says "because an avenue or 
grove is cut or hollowed out of a thicket of trees." This word is 
used in the Bible to denote a carved image or idol. The changes 
in meaning may have been somewhat like this : (i) that which 
is cut; (2) wood which has been cut; (3) wood in general; (4) 
wood, collectively ; forests are still called Tvoods. Similar changes 
have taken place in the word timber., from A.S. timbrian, to build : 
(i) building material; '(2) wood to be used in the construction 
of an edifice ; (3) the edifice (Ger. zimmer) ; (4) trees that may 
be made into building material : " the timber "= the forest. 

ther is here used with its pronominal force, in the dative after 
besyde. 

625. " To pray his friends to help him to make war on The- 
seus." 

627. or — or = he would^ either — or. Or is a contraction of 
either. " Either he schal hate the toon and love the tother, 
either he schal susteyne the toon and despise the tother." Matt, 
vi. 24 (Wiclif). 

628. unto his tvyf. See I. 431 and note. 

629. entente playn = evident intention. 

631. care = sorrow, one who would cause him sorrow. Nam- 
ing an object by the emotion it inspires, is a common figure of 
speech; e.g., my love, my aversion. 

636. of the light = because of the light. Of originally ^^from, 
naturally passes into the meaning " in consequence of." This 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 215 

whole passage is full of great descriptive beauty: the lark, rising 
in the early dawn, the brightening east, the rising sun, the spark- 
ling dew-drops on the leaves, all combine to present a rare pic- 
ture to the imagination. 

637. ^^^^^5 = groves. Refers rather to the branches of the 
trees or bushes, — i.e., that which is green. See 1. 649, and 
note. 

640. Squyer principal. The adjective is placed after the noun 
in imitation of the French. 

643. Rememberyng on = meditating on. Remember = \.o think 
on : meminisse is so used in Latin. 

poynt of his desir = the object of his desire. 

645. Him to pieye = to play by himself, to amuse himself. 
Him IS dative; cf. "' play me a tune;" "play him "= play for 
himself or by himself. 

646. -were it it might be ; subj. 

648. ffa?i to kolde = held, began to hold. Gan frequently is 
equivalent to the auxiliary do. See bigan, P., 827 and note. 

649. ^rer^e5 = branches. See Gloss. Percy's Rel. 

650. Were it ^= it might be ; subj. 

woodebynde = woodbine. The earlier orthography indicates 
the derivation of the word. 

651. agens, as he was riding eastward. 

652. Scan : May | with alle | thy flow | res and | thy greene. 

654. som grene gete may = may be able to get some prosper- 
ity. Gete is inf. 

655. lusty kerte^2i heart full of desire, longing. 
659. that = \n order that, so that; cf. Lat. quo. 

662. " God knows he would have believed it full little." 

663. "But the truth was said many years ago." Is said =^ 
has been said : a passive perfect formed like the Latin amatus est., 
dictus est. 

goon, &c., literally, gone since are many years. 

664. The old proverb : " Veld haueth hege, and wude haueth 
heare." In the open country a man may easily be seen ; in the 
forest he may be heard. 

665. a man = for a man : dative after the adjective. 

666. at U7iset stevene=^vi'\\\\o\x\. previous appointment. 
stevene, literally = voice, a message; hence, a meeting agreed 

upon by a message. 

" And then they setten Steven for to mete." Cokes Tale, 19. 



2l6 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

668. to herken al his sawe=to listen to all his sayings. In 
A.S. heorcnian is followed bj the dative. 

670. al his fille = to his satisfaction. -Fz7/e is here used ad- 
verbially. " Then mayst thou eat grapes thy fill." Deut. xxiii. 
24. 

673. here queynte g-eeres= their strange customs. 

queynte = quaint, odd. Fr. coint (Lat. cognitus') known. 
From known.) Tvell-knotvn, comes the idea of being old, anti- 
quated. We give a peculiar meaning to the word, making it 
denote a pleasant oddity, not pronounced enough to be intrusive. 

676. Friday, here alluded to as a day of unreliable weather, 
— partaking of the fickleness of its patron Friga, the northern 
Venus. 

677. Scan : Now | it schyn | eth, &c. 

678. can. Tyrwhitt. Morris reads gan overcaste. 

679. ^?>ey<?/>^ = her followers. 

681. " A writer in Notes and Queries quotes the following 
Devonshire proverb : 

' Fridays in the week 
Are never aleek.' " Morris. 

683. tuithoute?! eny inore = without anything further, imme- 
diately. 

684. that day must be construed as ace. after the interjection, 
or for must be supplied. 

686. Wiltoiv = wilt thou. The inflectional endings of the 
verb were originally formed from appended pronouns, precisely 
in this manner. 

687. ibrought is = is brought, has been brought. 

691. kyng. "The Teutonic nations used the name konig, or 
king, and this corresponds to the Sanskrit j'anaka. What did it 
mean.'' It simply meant father, the father of a family, ' the king 
of his own kin,' the father of a clan, the father of a people." M. 
Muller, Sc. of L. 272. 

693. verray lyne =^ true line, direct descent. 

as = and. As is a contraction of also and here has its 
usual force when uncontracted. 

694. //5;'a/= enslaved. Literally = I am such a captive and 
a slave : such (so) correlating with that. 

695. he that ^=^h.o. The clauses are inverted. Read, "I 
serve him as his squire humbly, who is my mortal enemy." The 
inversion serves the purpose of emphasis. 



NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 217 

699. /^e^ a5 = whereas ; not where. T'^t^r is frequently used 
where we use where, the derivatives of who, what, being still 
interrogative. 

704. zwar/yre^^ = tortureth. Martyr originally signified a 
witness, and was early used to denote those who had borne wit- 
ness to the truth of Christianity by suffering death ; and as such 
persons were usually put to death by torture, to martyr acquires 
the meaning of putting to a painful death. 

707. care/ul ^ fuW of care. "We are not careful to answer 
thee." Dan. iii. 16. 

708. erst tha?i my sc/ierte = sooner than (before) my shirt; 
i.e., before his birth. 

712. mountaunce of a tare = the least possible amount. Tare 
is the vetch ; so also Chaucer frequently, " I care not a bean." 

713. " So that I could do aught that would cause you 
pleasure." 

715. ke . . . this Palamon. He is here used with somewhat 
of a demonstrative force (Lat. z7/e), referring to the former of 
two persons mentioned. This is the usual A.S. construction. 

716. that thoughte = who thought that he felt. 

719. ^a/e= story. A.S. tal, a fable, a slander, from taelan, 
to speak ill of: hence originally a false tale; (2) a tale told cir- 
cumstantially. Cf. history and story ; also tale-bearer, tell-tale. 
This word must be distinguished from tale, a number, a reckon- 
ing : the first forming the verb taelan, and the latter tellan. 
They are undoubtedly allied : they are confused in Morris's 
Glossary. 

721. He sterte him^\ie started. After verbs of motion we 
frequently find the personal pronoun used reflexively, forming a 
middle voice. 

724. whom that =^ for whom (it is) that; whom, i.e., my lady. 

725. blood ^= re\2itive ; a connection by blood. See 1. 273. 

726. heere byforn = before this. Heere is not an adverb, but 
a pronoun ; cf. the O.E. not for then = nevertheless, where then 
is a pronoun. 

728. " And hast thus falselj' changed thy name." 

730. schalt is here used as expressing strong determination, 
and not simply futurity. 

731. " But only I (I alone) and no other will love her." 
oonly ^ 2i\one. So Spenser, ''That th' onely breath him 

daunts." F. Q^ i. 7, § 13- 



2l8 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

733. ivepcn = weapon : one syllable. 

734. y-s^e?'^e = escaped. Tyrwhitt reads astert. 
grace = good fortune. So harde grace = misfortune. 

735. / drede 7iot = I have no doubt. 

o/^er = either, correlates with or in next line. 

740. lyoim. The article was omitted in comparative sen- 
tences, after as, like, than, as in our compounds; e.g., lion- 
like. 

742. Nere = ne -were = were it not. 

745. of myn hond=hy my hand. 

748. verray fool = ioo\ indeed. " My very son Esau." Gen. 
xxvii. 26. 

think well ^revaemhev yveW. A.S. thenca^i, to think, to re- 
member; the active form oi thincan, to seem: hence, to cause to 
come to mind. Think still = remember in colloquial language; 
e.g., " I did not think." The noun thank, which is from this 
verb, means " that given in remembrance of a favor." 

750. for as »2?/f:^e = forasmuch as, since. For^'\x\ consider- 
ation of. As muche^^^so great (a fact), now generally followed 
by as. Tyrwhitt reads : 

"But for thou art a worthi gentil knight." 

751. hire ^^^or her : dative. 

753. Scan : En yoth | er knight. 

754. as a knight ; i.e., armed. 

759. if so be = \^ it so be. "That thou my lady wynne" is 
the real subject of be. 

760. ther I am ?';2«e = wherein I am. 

761. as for 7ne = so far as I am concerned; cf. the colloquial 
expi-ession "for all me." 

763. departed =^ separated. 

765. out of = without. A.S. utan = without. 

766. regne=king: literally, a kingdom, used by metonomy 
for king. 

^6"]. is seyd=^ is it said. The following sentence is the 
subject. 

768. his thonkes=^wi\\ing[y. The gen. was used in A.S. as 
an adverb; cf. needes^= necessariXy. 

" For haveles (poor) 
His thonkes is no man alive." 

Gower, Con. Am. ii. 211. 
771' on the tnorive ; cf. a-mortve, 1. 763. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 219 

Dayes lig-kt^=ihe light of day. In compound nouns the first 
has the force of a genitive or dative. 

779. Tko ckajzgen gan = then changed- Gan = did. 

Aere /ace = their faces : literally " in the face of them." The 
modern construction uses the plural, we having changed the 
genitive of the pronoun into a possessive. 

782. dere^=hea.r. A.S. dera, probably from ^e/'a«, to excel, 
the bear being the largest wild animal known in the northern 
regions. Bere^ barley (cf. beer), seems to have the same deri- 
vation, denoting the grain which surpassed. The six-rowed 
barley is called in Scotland big^ while the four-rowed is called 
bear. 

784. breketh. The subject is " bowes and the leves." See 
1. 1885. Tyrwhitt reads brektng, and says : "The MSS. all read 
breketk ; but it is more likely, I think, that the first transcriber 
should have made a mistake in that word, than that Chaucer 
should have offended so unnecessarily against grammar." If we 
construe and as equivalent to as, the difficulty is avoided. " And 
heareth him come rushing through the underbrush, as the boughs 
and leaves break before him." 

788. me myskappe^'ii \t go ill with me. Mishap is now used 
only as a noun. 

790. As fer as^^ as soon as : literally, when they were as far 
as, &c. ; or, as we would say, "when they were so near that each 
knew the other." 

791. good day, the usual friendly salutation. 

794. as ke tvere^B.^ though he were. "As it had been the 
face of an angel." Acts vi. 15. In which case had been is subj. 
798. wood lyoun^=2in enraged lion. 

803. / leie hem = I leave them fighting : literally, I allow them 
to continue fighting. Fightyng divelle is an infinitive phrase, 
which must be construed as a noun used in the ace. like an 
adverb. 

804. forth is here used with the idea of motion, — the advance 
of the story, like henceforth. 

805. The destyni. Article used to correlate with that; cf. 
Lat. id . . . quod. 

mynistre ^e«^r«/= minister-general, general manager. In 
most instances in which the noun precedes the adjective, Chaucer 
follows the French idiom. 

809. by ye or nay. "Yea and nay were originally the answers 



220 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

to questions framed in the affirmative; jes and no, the answers 
to questions framed in the negative." Bible Word-Book. Thus 
yea and naj acquire the force of certainty. " But let your com- 
munication be yea, yea, nay, nay" (Matt. v. 37) ; that is, definite. 
A.S. kyt ys, hytys; hyt nys, kyt nys. "The promises of God are 
yea" (2 Cor. i. 20) ; that is, certain. 

810. //f — //^a/= that — which; cf "Art thou not it that (he 
who) hath cut Rahab.?" Is. li. 9. 

815. "This say I now with reference to mighty Theseus." 
818. "No day dawneth to hiin in bed; " i.e., day-light never 
finds him in bed. 

823. 3a7ze = destruction, death; cf. Goth, banj'a, a blow. 

824. Mars, the god of war; Diane, Diana, the goddess of 
hunting. After does not refer to time : his first choice was war; 
his second, hunting. 

828. clothed refers to the whole party. "And I warne you 
that there be none of yow but that he be well horsed, and that ye 
all be clothed in greene, either in silke or in cloth." Queene 
Guenever's orders for a Maying party in the Hist, of K. Arthur, 
iii. e. 129. 

829. On hofiting. On explains the force of a in similar con- 
structions, — a being an abbreviation of 07i, as a, the article, is 
an abbreviation of an- Chaucer uses both forms : aloft, on loft, 
abed, on bed, a^art, on ;part, alive, on live. So in the Bible, 
a dying, a fishiyig. Earle, in his Philology of the English 
Tongue (p. 376), says, "I derive this a from the French 
prepositions, thus afoot represents hpied," — a view which is 
refuted by nearly every instance in which it occurs in Early 
English. 

833. launde. " Lande : a Land, or Laund, a wild, untilled, shrub 
bie or bushie Plaine." Cotgr. 

" Whan they come to the laund on hight, 
The quenys pavylon there was pight 
That she myght se of the best 
All the game [sport] of the forest." 

Ipomydon, 383, Weber ii. 295. 
" Then went they doune into a launde 
These noble archeres all three ; 
Eche of them slew a hart of greece \_prize'\ 
The best that they could se." 

Adam Bell, Percy's Rel. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 221 

" F'or through this laund anon the deer will come." 

Shak. 3 Hen. VI. iii. i. 
In the first quotation laund seems to denote a cleared hill; in 
the second a cleared valley; in the third, an open space between 
two forests, — so that the leading idea of the word is a cleared 
space. 

/ii'm. After verbs of motion the pronoun is often used reflex- 
ivelj, forming a middle voice. 

834. z'^/^^r= thither, — the proper form with a verb of motion. 
Modern English incorrectly uses there, where, here, for thither, 
whither, hither. 

wonf have ■= wont to have. 

835. Scan : And ov'r | a brook | &c. 

837. him lust coinaunde=^ it pleased him to order. 
839. Under =^ towards. Looking towards the sun, they would 
be distinguishable from a greater distance. 

841. ^ree;we = furiously. For an interesting note on this 
word see M. Miiller, Sc. of Lang. ii. 232. 

" And breres brimme for to pricke." R. R. 1836. 
"Neither bragger ne boster ffor no bremme wordis." 

Dep. Ric. II. p. II. 
as it were = as though it were ; as though they were. // 
refers to boores ttvo ; the verb is plural to agree with the noun 
following ; cf. " it nam nat I," 602. " It am I," 878. " It ben the 
schirrefes men." 

844. " It seemed that the lightest stroke of either would fell 
an oak." 

as it ivolde = as though it would. It refers to strook. 

845. ivhat^w\\.2X sort of persons; who. What refers rather 
to rank, calling, or nationality. 

nothing=^ in no respect. " For every creature [thing created] 
of God is good, and nothing [by no means] to be refused." i Tim. 
iv. 4. 

848. Hoo, an exclamation used by Heralds to stop the fight; 
used now to stop horses, •whoa. 

849. leesyng, a verbal noun, hence followed hy of. 

852. what mester 7nen =^what sort of men. See note P., 613. 
855. lystes ^^Usts. See note P., 63. 

857. what needeth = in what respect (why) does it need. 

858. the deth. Death would imply a natural death, while the 
death — the noun being emphasized by the demonstrative — im- 



222 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

plies ike death fixed bj law, death as a punishment; tke death is 
also used to denote any remarkable mortality. 

bothe two. With pronouns both is usually construed sub- 
stantively; e.g., both of us: with nouns adjectively; e.g., both 
men. 

862. " give us neither mercy nor protection." 

865. ^»c»zve = may know ; subj. 

/y/fe = not; literally, little • cf. Lat. minus., im'jiitne, not, by no 
means. 

867. banyscht = h2Ln\shed. Ban, banish, bandit, abandon, are 
all from the root ba?i, common to all Teutonic languages, which 
means a proclamation, an announcement. We have the word 
still in use in " the banns of marriage." In French ba?i became 
bandon with the notion of authority; hence abandon is to bring 
under the control of any one, to subdue ; and as bringing a per- 
son under the absolute control of one, necessarily destroys the 
previous authority, it acquired a secondary meaning of the sur- 
render of control. An "abandoned character" is a character 
which has thrown off moral control; an " abandoned tenement'' 
is a tenement over which the owner has surrendered his author- 
ity. From ban., bando, we have a Mid. Lat. banire, ba?idire, to 
proclaim, to denounce, to publicly order out of the realm, to 
banish ; bandit, one so banished ; and, because thus put out of 
the pale of law, a robber, an outlaiv. 

876. ^'0//^/= unfortunate, full of wo. 

877. w/>^/^e(^/y = craftily, by using deception, — not implying 
any moral wrong. 

881. y«wy5e= judgment, condemnation. 

" Ther nas . . . 
Ne juge, ne justice, that jewis durste hem deme." 

Dep. Ric. II. 26, 10. 
883. bothe we = we both ; cf 1. 858. 

885. schort conchisioun = a brief argument, a conclusion briefly 
reached. 

887. recorde ^^ Y&cord it, as the decision of the judge. 

888. to pyne yow with the corde, to put you to the torture, to 
extort a confession of the truth. 

889. schul be deed^=ye must die. Schul, pi. ; sing, schal. 

890. verray wommanhede = simply because of her woman- 
hood. 

893. as it thoughte hem alle= as it seemed to them all. 



NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 223 

894. "That ever such an event should happen." 

896. nothing-, adv. = for nothing. See note 1. 845. 

897. Afid 5«we=and when they saw. When the subject is 
readily supplied from the context, it is frequentlj^ omitted. Shak- 
speare takes the same liberty. 

5c»re = severe ; cf. ''It was a sore trial." 

898. lesse and more ^hoth low and high (in rank). I^ess and 
7nore are comparatives. The Early English was far stricter than 
the modern in requiring the comparative degree when there was 
even an implied comparison between two terms. So we have 
xvhither for where, -whether for which, either for or, &c. 

905. in a clause =^'\n one view; literally, in one enclosure. 
He considers not only the trespass, but the occasion as well. 
The word, in this sense, is sometimes spelled close, Fr. clause, 
Lat. clajcsus, from claudere to shut; hence an enclosed place; a 
sentence enclosed in another; that w^hich closes an argument, 
a conclusion ; that which decides an argument. 

906. /re5/a5 = trespass. O. Fr. irafis-passer ; cf. transgress. 
The idea of moral wrong is generally expressed by words sig- 
nifying a going over or beyond. 

908. resoun ■= reflection, opposed to the hasty decisions of 
anger. 

913. Of vjommen. Strictly genitive of origin of the feeling. 
The modern construction is " had compassion on women." 

Evere in oon^Qwer anon; literally, ever in one (moment). 

915. Fy, an exclamation implying disapprobation or disgust, 
— faugh. Fr.^, Ger. pfui, Gr. <pEv. 

921. discrecioun, literally, ability to separate; the word seems 
to be used in a sense stricter than the modern. 

922. can no divisioun ^=^novfS no distinction. 

923. after oon = in the same manner. 

926. in hi£-hte = on high, aloud. From the idea of height 
the transition to greatness is easy. " He lifted up his voice and 
wept," " That sabbath was an high day." John xix. 31. 

929. g-ayneth = a.va.\\, pi- See 1. 318. 

930. /br = because of. Lat. pro. 

931. at his otvne gyse =in his own way, at his pleasure. 

932. "As it may please him to devise," 

936. w/Ve«= who know; subject to be supplied. 

940. Ioketh^\o6k\ imperative, 

941. if that he love = if so be that he love. 



224 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

942. 5zV= sits. This whole passage is ironical. 

946. Nothing that can happen to those who serve Love can 
make them think that they have not acted wisely. 

947. for ought, Sic, correlates with yet. 

950. " Is as much (and no more) obliged to them as to me." 
Can i/iank = acknowledge an obligation. Ger. dank ivissen. 
"They will never con you thanke." K. Arthur iii. 301. 

952. " But altogether it (Love) must be experienced, hot or 
cold; " i.e., young or old. 

953. Or — <?r= either — or. 

955. by myself ^^ by my own experience. 
fill yore agon^^ long time ago. 

956. servant was I on^\ was a servant (of Love). 

966. may = am able. 

967. <f^/==part, deal; cf. " a great deal; " " a tenth deal of 
flour." Ex. xxix. 40. 

968. "And they swore to him fairly and well what he 
asked." 

969. " And prayed him for lordship and for good will." 

of Lordschipe, &c., genitives after verb of asking ; the ace. 
would be gift, understood. They acknowledged fealty to him, 
which would prevent their levying an offensive war under cover 
of the tournament. 

974. ify;;2e = the proper time. "A time to every purpose." 
Eccl. iii. I. 

975. as for = with regard to. Literally, all so in regard to ; 
an emphatic form of for. 

979. al be, &c. = although it be pleasant or unpleasant to him. 

980. A proverb, denoting a useless occupation ; cf. " Let him 
whistle for it." 

985. As him is schaj)e ^ 2i'S, it has been determined for him. 
The ordeal of battle was a common method of appeal to the 
Deity. 

989. If that you liketh = if this pleases you. 

990. w^er = whither. In E.E. whether and whither are fre- 
quently abbreviated into ivhere. The origin of our use of -where 
for whither may be thus explained. 

991. daunger = fiViQ. See note P., 663. 

992. fyfty ivykes = a year. 

y^^ «e «eer = further nor nearer, more or less; syncopated 
comparatives. 



NOTES TO THE KNIQHTES TALE. 225 

994. Armed — «^ = uparmed, completely armed; cf. "used 
up." 

995. See 1. 751. 

998. wy^e/'^er = which (of two). "Whether of them twain 
did the will of his father." Matt. xxi. 31. 
1000. spak of= mentioned. 

1002. to wyve^to wife. Wyve is dative. See note, 1. 431. 

1003. w^o/« = to him, to whom. 

tkat= it shall be that. That after conjunctions may usually 
be construed with this ellipsis. 

1005. ^^we = may God have pity. Cf. " me reweth " ^ I am 
sorry. 

1009. if you thinketh =^ if this seem to you. Tou is dative ; 
the nominative is always ye. "This is wel isayd " is the subject 
of thinketh. 

1016. do7i — g-race = donQ (wrought) so fair a favor. 

1017. on k?iees = on his knees. The old idiom which allowed 
the omission of the demonstrative or possessive pronoun, in 
cases when such omission would occasion no ambiguity, is 
preferable to the modern. 

maner zui£-ht = 'k.ind of man. Of is omitted after manner, 
as though used adjectively. 

1019. «a;«c/y = especially ; worthy of mention by name. 
1021. gonne they ryde =^ did they ride ; they rode. 
1023. mefi = one, the indefinite pronoun = the reader. 

1025. goth = goeth, goes. The termination eth in Chaucer's 
time was passing into 5; in the northern dialects the pi. eth had 
passed into s. We use 5 only in place of the singular eth, our pi. 
having come from the plural in e?i. 

1026. to maken tip^= to prepare. Up must be construed with 
the verb as a separable preposition. From the idea high it 
readily acquires an intensive force. 

1027. that, correlative of so, 1. 1025. 

1031. in maner of compaas = in the form of a circle. Article 
omitted. 

1032. degrees = steps rising one above another. " This maner 
of stage in half-circle the Greekes called theatrtuny as much to 
say as a beholding place, which was also in such sort contriued 
by benches and greeces to stand or set upon, as no man should 
empeach anothers sight." Puttenham, 52. Arber. 

the height = to the height of. Accusative of measure. 

IS 



226 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

1034. lette= he should not hinder, subj. 

1035. Here begins a description of this circular theatre. On 
the north was the turret of Diana, with the oratory; on the east 
the marble gate, above which was the altar and oratory of Venus ; 
the south side was open ; on the west another marble gate, above 
which was the altar and oratory of Mars. 

Estivard ; i.e., to one within. 

1037. con-clud-e, infinitive. 

1038. as = thus. " There was no such place in earth, that is 
to say, in so little space." The uses of as in E.E. are many of 
them difficult of explanation, but can generally be understood 
by a reference to the original meaning all-so. Tyrwhitt omits 
«5, but according to the canon that the most difficult reading is 
probably the correct one, we have retained it. 

1040. Who knoivs (was acquainted with) geometry or arith- 
metic. 

arsmetrike = arithmetic, derived by a false etymology from 
ars-metrica. Gr. apidiirjrLKr]. Gower writes arsmetique. 

1043. devyse = to embellish. Devise means to contrive ; 
hence to make that which requires skill. To make evidently 
refers to the construction of the building ; while devyse refers to 
the more elaborate parts of the same. " To devise curious 
works." Ex. XXXV. 32. 

1045. hatk to be construed with don make, 1. 1047. 

1047. Don make = caused (them) to make, caused to be made. 
Don pp., make inf. 

oratorye = a place of prayer. 

1050. caste, pret. 

105 1, on the tvall. The three oratories were built on the wall, 
so as to be in full view from all parts of the theatre. 

10515. </o« wr<?z/^/// = wrought, caused (to be) made. "This 
should rather be don -work. The participle of the past time is 
improperly put for the infinitive mode. But the same inaccuracy 
occurs again : " These marchants have don fraught here schippes 
newe." Tyrwhitt. See 1. 1047. It would perhaps be better to 
consider wrought as the infinitive, with an ellipsis of to be. 
Cf. " He has ordered a house built," i.e. to be built. 

in noble -wise = in splendid style. 

1056. forgeten = neglected. In modern English the expres- 
sion would be, "I have forgotten." Had fo7gotte?i refers rather 
to the time of the neglect than to the fact. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 227 

1058. schap refers to the carving; contenaunce, to the paint- 
ings; figures^ to the composition of the works of art. 

1061. wrought on the wal ; i.e., on the wall of the oratory. 
Morris says, "viz., over the gate and wall, i.e., over a sort of 
barbican;" but Chaucer is not describing the position of the 
oratory, but of the paintings, &c., within the temple; cf. 11. 
mo, nil. 

1062. colde = sad. An epithet, descriptive of the effect, 
applied to the cause. 

1063. sacred ^= dewoted. Cf. Fr. sacre. 

" To destruction sacred and devote." 

Par. Lost, iii. 208. 

" The coming of their sacred foe" [i.e., Satan]. 

lb., iv. 7. 
ieeres== tears. From a root signifying to bite ; hence hitter. 

1064. desiryng ^= desire : a verbal noun. 
1067. fool- hardy nesse = the boldness of a fool. 

1069. lesynges =-= lies, falsehood. " Thou shalt destroy them 
that speak leasing." Ps. v. 6. 

1070. busynesse = 2in'K.\ety . "Martha, thou art bisy and art 
troublid aboute ful many thingis." Luke x. 41 (Wiclif ). 

107 1. guides = marigolds : so called from their yellow color, 
the color denoting jealousy. 

1072. Scan : And | a cuk | kow, &c. 

1074. Za5/ = pleasure, in no odious sense. 
Array. See P., 330. 

circumstaunces = things appertaining to. We use the word 
surroundings in this sense. 

1075. / rekned have and schal^= I have recounted and shall 
recount. Tyrwhitt reads : " Which that I reken and reken 
shall." 

1076. by ordre = in proper arrangement. Lat. ex ordine. 
We also find the A.S. equivalent arewe. 

1077. make ofmencioun^= make mention of. 

1081. lustyjiesse = pleasure ; here denotes that which occasions 
pleasure. 

1092. " For when it pleases her, then may she turn the 
world." 

as= when. Cf. " What manner of communications are these 
that ye have one to another, as ye walk." Luke xxiv. 17. Tyr" 
whitt omits than, and reads liste, subj. 



228 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

1097. Scan : The stat | u of Ve | nus, &c. 

iioi. right hond. The right hand (Lat. rectus., from regere)^ 
means the controlling hand. So the left hand has nothing to do 
with leave, but is rather O.E. left. O.S. lef weak. 

1 104. dowves ^^ doves. "Perhaps from its habit of ducking 
the head." Wedgwood. It is strange that Wedgwood should 
have departed from his favorite theory here : it seems more prob- 
able that this is a true onomatopoetic word, — the Ger. taube^ 
A.S. duva, being quite an exact imitation of their note. 

1 107. as it is often seen. It refers to the fact stated, and not 
to any particular word. 

1 1 12. in lengthe and breede = in length and breadth, — on the 
sides and ends. 

1113.^^/^^^. " Les estres d'un maison. The inward conveyances, 
private windings or turnings within, entries into, issues out of, a 
house." Cotgr. 

1 121. swoiigh. "And what soun is it [swough] lyke quod he 
Peter ! betynge of the see 
Quod Y, ajj/en the roches holowe." H. of F., ii. 523. 

1122. sckulde bersten =^ yvonld burst; i.e., break by bending. 
Shall, originally denoting obligation, easily passes into the 
notion of futurity, especially with the added idea of compulsion. 
The past tense implies an antecedent obligation, and in like 
manner passes into the idea of present or future action, depend- 
ing upon some previous obligation, or as the result of some 
previous compulsion. In this verse the sounds before mentioned 
indicate an accumulation of forces which will speedily destroy 
the forest. Strictly speaking, would refers to an antecedent 
desire, should to an antecedent obligation. 

1 123. down-ward ; i.e., below on the wall. 

under a bente = below a slope, — on a hill amidst the forests. 

1125. burned .=^\)\xrx\\?>\iQ.dL\ cf. A.S. byr?ze, a coat of mail, as 
though from byrnan, wrought in the fire, forged ; cf. also bran- 
uew, for which we find in E.E. fire-new. 

1 1 29. northen light. Some suppose that this refers to the 
aurora borealis, but probably it denotes only the dim light re- 
ceived by a narrow opening to the north. This temple being 
situated on the west side of the theatre, — the south side being 
open, — the only access to it from the wall would be on the north 
side, which may have suggested this description. 

1 133. y-c/e«c^e</ = strengthened by bars of iron. The orig- 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 229 

inal idea of the word seems to be a lump or mass; ^ clinched n^W, 
is a nail with a lump hammered upon the point. We clench the 
fist when we make the hand into a ball. In this verse iclenched 
must refer to the protuberant bars of iron riveted upon the doors 
to strengthen them. 

overthzvart and endelong ^ ?iQ.ro^% and endwise. "But Sir 
Launcelot rode overthwart and endlong in a wild forest." K. 
Arthur, iii. 81. 

1 134. ?><?;? ^ iron. A.S. iren^ isen, from «r (rhotacism for as, 
Lat. ^^5) ore, copper, properly the metal ; hence used to denote 
different metals as each became prominent. 

1 135. Every filler ; cf. : 

" The building was a spacious theatre 

Half-round, on two main pillars vaulted high, 
With seats." Samson Ag. 1605. 

1 137. First correlates with je/ 11. 1147, 1^53' '^^S9-> dividing the 
description into sections, corresponding to the sections of the 
painting. In the first scene the leading subject is Felony ; in 
the second, Suicide ; in the third, War, with its attendant out- 
rages, and consequent evils; and lastly, Conquest. 

Tmaginyjig = conception ; opposed to compassyng. 

1 138. felo7iye. According to Spelman, ironx fee. goods, estate, 
and Ion which signifies price or value. See Blackstone, Com. iv. 
95. K felon is thus one whose property or estate has been confis- 
cated as a punishment for crime. Because death was the usual 
punishment of such crimes as worked a forfeiture of estate, _/<?/<?;/)' 
frequently denotes a capital crime. 

compassy7ig. " Compassitig or iinagini7ig the death of the 
king are synonymous terms : the word compass signifying the pur- 
pose or design of the mind or will, and not as in common speech 
the carrying such design into effect." Blackstone iv. 78. Mor- 
ris explains the word as contrivance. 

1140. ^?'<?<fg = one who causes dread: perhaps here to be ex- 
plained from its connection with pike-purse as a house-breaker. 
The original notion of dread is that of trembling through fear. 
Milton calls Satan "our Dread." 

1 141. smyler = one who hides cruel purpose under a cloak of 
good-will: "The treacherous smile, a mask for secret hate." 
Cowper. Wharton in his Hist. Eng. Poetry reads smiter. 

" I speak of peace, while covert enmity 
Under the smile of safety, wounds the world." 

2 Kg. Hen. IV., hid 



230 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

1 142. sckejl>ne = 6\.dih\es. A.S. scy^en ; Tyrwhitt reads 5^^/e» 

1 143. ^resoun = treachery; here contrasted with open -werre. 

1 144. bi-bled^=\>e-\Aedi\ ^£? ^ the transitive prefix. 

1 149. a-nyght z=2Ci night. Alluding, as Morris suggests, to 
the death of Sisera, the Canaanitish general, whom Jael slew. 
Tyrwhitt reads on kight. 

1 150. colde deth = cold dead body. 

1151. meschaunce. " Desconfort and sory countenaunce " 
qualify mesckau?ice. 

1 154. Armed coinf>laint ^^ riot. An idea caught by the poet 
probably from the troublous times of Wat Tyler's rebellion. It 
here means the presentation of a complaint by an armed body 
of men. 

outhees := outcry. " From hutesiuin^ a term well known in 
our law." T. 

oictrage = excess. This word has no connection with rage, 
but is a form assumed from Low Latin, uliragium, from ultra. 
Gower writes oultrage. 

1157. y-raft =^ seized, plundered. Reave is now nearly obso- 
lete, and bereave has so far lost its original meaning, as to lose 
the idea of injustice; so that the death of a friend is called a 
bereavement. 

1 159. hofpesteres. Tyrwhitt explains by ^fl«c/«^, from hop- 
piafi, to dance ; koppestre, a female dancer. Speght explains it 
hy pilots. Others with greater probability explain it as = <?/- 
posteres, opposing, hostile. This explanation is supported by 
Boccacio's Version of Statins, which reads " navi bellatrici." 

1160. tvttk =^hy\ cf. " killed with kindness." Seel. 1164. 

1161. freten = to devour; to be construed with saugk. 

1 162. Probably a proverbial expression for one suffering mis- 
fortune in spite of every precaution ; cf. Sq. Tale, 256. 

"Therfore behoveth him a ful long spone 
That shal ete with a fend." 

1163. by = concerning. By originally means near ; cf. '■ I 
know nothing by myself;" i.e., concerning (against) myself. 
I Cor. iv. 4. 

Of Marte. Alluding to the supposed malign influence of 
the planet Mars in one's horoscope. 

1167. stnytk =z one vfho forges with a hammer. "The smith 
has his name from the sturdy blows that he smites upon the 
anvil." Trench. 



NOTES TO THE KNIQHTES TALE. 23 1 

1 171. Scan : With | the scharp | e swerd | &c. 

1172. 5C>/// /w/V/e = finely spun. 7u'z»e = twined. 

1 173. yulius =^ ]\x\i\x& Caesar, slain by Brutus and the con- 
spirators. 

1 174. Nero, the Roman Emperor, who was slain by the popu- 
lace. 

AntJionius, Mark Antony, slain in Egypt. 

1 176. ther byforn = before it happened. Observe that ther is 
a pronoun in the dative. 

1 177. 7«a«a5y//^ = threatening; that is, by the aspect of Mars 
in their horologe. 

figure = a representation of the position of the planets at 
their birth. An astrologer was called a " figure-flinger." 
1 181. Snfiicet/i = \ei one example suffice. 

1 183. statue, trisyllable. "It is certain that statue was fre- 
quently written statua in Shakspeare's age ; Bacon, for example, 
always, I believe, so writes it; and it is not impossible that its 
full pronunciation may have always been trisyllabic, and that it 
became a dissyllable only by the two short vowels, as in other 
cases, being run together so as to count prosodically only for 
one." Craik's E. of Shak. 246. The usual pronunciation in 
Chaucer is trisyllabic. 

carte = chariot, car. Cart is an abbreviation oi chariot, and 
is properly a diminutive of car. We use car in an elevated sense, 
— cart always in an inferior, making the distinction in office 
chiefly. Chariot, which now is used to denote a costly and stately 
vehicle, in E.E. was used synonymously with cart. "There came 
by a chariot, the which came thither for to fetch wood. 'Tell me, 
carter,' said Sir Launcelot, 'what I shall give thee for to suffer 
me to leape into the chariot.'*'" K. Arthur iii. 251. 

1 184. as = as if. The if is implied by the subjunctive were. 

1 186. ben cleped z=: 2iYt called. Are is a comparatively late 
word in English. 

scriptures = writings. Now restricted to the Holy Scriptures, 
as the Bible is to the book, by way of eminence. 

1 187. Scan: That oon | Puella | &c. 

Puella and Rubeus = " the names of two figures in geomancy, 
representing two constellations in heaven ; Puella, signifieth 
Mars retrograde, and Rubeus, Mars direct." Speght's Gloss. 

1 188. ar«ye^ = set out with ornamental surroundings; to put 
in order for the sake of ornament, usually applied to dress ; but 



232 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

sometimes, as here, denoting the adjustment of parts, as in a 
painting, of troops in an armj, " in battle array;" to array a 
jury, that is to call them man by man. 

1 191. Scan : With sot | yl pence'l | depeynt | ed was | this 
storie. 

Tyrwhitt YQdids peynted, which corrects the metre. 

1197. of huntyng ; i.e., with scenes descriptive of. 

1 198. C«^52'o/e=Callisto, a daughter of Lycaon ; she was a 
companion of Diana. 

1202. / can say no ferre = I can say no more = I do not vouch 
for the truth of the story. 

1204. Dane = Daphne, who was changed into a laurel, that 
she might escape the violent suit of Apollo. 

1207. A//ieon = Acteon, who was changed by Diana into a 
stag, and torn in pieces hy his own dogs, for his irreverence. 

1212. A;(/ialaunie ^ At2L\anta, a famous huntress. 

1213. Afeleagre = Me\ea.ger, a famous Calydonian hunter. 
many anoiker mo = many another besides. A. S. ma is used 

in this sense. 

1215. ivonder = wonderful. Wo7ider-storye is properly a com- 
pound noun. When two nouns are joined, th|^ first being used 
adjectively, it would be more philosophical to consider the two 
as one compound. 

1216. "The which I do not care to call to mind." 

me list not = it pleases me not. Dra-we (to drawen) is the 
subject of list. 

1220. Just coming to the full, and therefore best suited for 
hunting. 

schulde = would. 

1 221. gazide greene ^= light green, the favorite color of 
hunters. 

1224. 7^^^^ = where. In such case the word formed from the 
demonstrative is more strictly correct than the usual word formed 
from the interrogative. 

1229. " Well could he who wrought it paint life-like." 

1 23 1. Theseus dative after likede, 1. 1234. 

1234. hym likede=\t pleased him; it was pleasing to him. 
Hym refers to Theseus. When the sentence is long, and the verb 
at quite a distance from the subject, a pronoun referring to the 
subject is inserted just before the verb; in this case the verb 
being impersonal, the leading subject of the sentence is thrown 



NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 233 

into the dative, and thus the pronoun which is inserted is thrown 
into that case. " And hit licode Herode." " And pleside to 
Eroude." Matt. xiv. 6 (Wiclif). 

1238. schulde here denotes obligation. 

1240. Scan : And til | Athenes | here cov | enant | to hold. 

1243. ♦' And trulj many a man there thought that never since 
the world began was there to be seen, to speak of the knighthood 
of either party, as wide as God has made sea or land, so noble a 
company, and yet so few;" that is, so many nobles in so small a 
company. 

1245. As, namely, that is. See Abbott, Shak. Gr. § 113. As 
is here used restrictively = for instance ; it does not serve to 
introduce an example, but to limit the extent of the preceding 
statement. 

1249. ^a55a«if= surpassing; a name passing from mouth to 
mouth; \.&., re-now?ied. 

1250. of that game ; i.e., one of, a sharer of that game; par- 
titive. 

1251. wel -was hi?n = weal was to him, well was it for him. 
tker to = to it. There in composition with prepositions re- 
tains its pronominal force. 

1252. if ther felle such a caas = if such an opportunity should 
happen. 

1253. lusty =: vigorous; that state of body which gives pleas- 
ure. 

1254. paramours = gallantry, gallant actions. Literally, 
" with loves." See 1. 297. What at first was a descriptive epi- 
thet came in time to be used as a noun, designating the thing so 
described ; thus ;par amour passed into the noun paramour, de- 
noting (ist) gallantry, (2d) lover, or the person inspiring gal 
lantry or love. Either meaning will suit here. 

hath his might ; i.e., is not sick or wounded. 

1255. it, i.e., the opportunity. 

1256. vjolde ivilne = would wish. 

1257. To-fighte, infinitive, used substantively. 

1258. were = would be. 

to see = to be seen. Gerundial ; cf. " a house to let." 

1259. right so ; i.e., inspired by similar feelings. 
1261. Som = one-, cf. somme, pi. 1. 1263. 

wol = prefer. 

1263. somme, pi. of som* 



234 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

peyre plates = armor for the breast and back ; double plates, 
contrasted with breastplates. 

1267. "There is no new contrivance that was not known of 
old," — as though defending himself from the charge of anach- 
ronism in arming his knights in the armor of his day. 

1269. after his opmioiui = according to his choice. 

1270. Ther maistoiv sen = there mayst thou see. 
1274. They, redundant. 

1276. kemfe = coarse, shaggy. Kemps = hair among wool. 
From A.S. cemban to comb; hence that which is combed, as 
hair; also that which is combed out, snarled or knotted hair. 

1277. bravjiies = the muscular parts of the body, particularly 
(as here) the calf of the leg, and the fleshy parts of the arms. 

1283. nayles yehve = y€Wo\\ buttons, resembling the heads 
of nails. 

1284. for-old=\ery old. Morris. Tyrwhitt reads "for old" 
= for age. The former is preferable. 

1287. wre;/^e ^ wreath. The A.S. verb has two forms, — 
ivrethian and ivrithtafi, — both of which are preserved in modern 
English, but with a divergence of meaning. 

1289. rubies = 2i precious stone of red color. Lat. rubeus. 
dyatnauntz = diamonds, — a corruption of adamant. We here 

see the word in a transitional state. 

1290. alauntz ^=^ z. species of dog. '■' Alajio is the Spanish 
name of a species of dog which the dictionaries call a mas- 
tiff." T. 

1294. Colers, supply -with, 
fyled rounde, — so as to turn easily. 

1300. cloth of gold = cloth, with gold threads inwoven. 

dyapred =^ y^vought in flourishes, ornamented. 

"And it [the bow] was painted well and thwitten [carved] 
And over all diapred and written." Rom. R., 934. 
This word is from the Latin Jaspis, a jasper stone, — the colors 
of which are often in stripes and figures, whence it was much 
used in ornamental jewelry. The verb, derived from the noun, 
soon came to denote a species of ornamentation resembling the 
natural marks of the jasper; and from this verb, we have again 
derived a noun denoting cloth with a pattern inwoven, — diaper. 
Fr. diaspre. 

1302. cloth of Tars= a kind of silk. " Tartarian cloths are so 
skilfully woven that no painter with his brush could equal, much 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 235 

Less surpass, them." Quoted from Boccaccio in Longfellow's Dante, 

I. 283. 

1307. ironne = arranged. Morris explains by "clotted." 
*^cheveux annelez. Haire frizzled, curled, or twirled round, 01 

into round knots." Cot. 

1311. yVe-^^cs^ freckles. Probably another form o{ Jiecketi, 

spots. 

1313. caste = threw around. 

1314. ca5/e = should judge. There was no objection in 
Chaucer's daj to using the same words as rhymes if their signi- 
fication was different. Gower frequently uses a noun and a verb 
from the same root. 

1315. sprynge = to spring up, to grow. So spring is the sea- 
son in which vegetation sprouts. The original idea seems to be 
to rise up. 

1320. tame. A tame animal is literally one subdued, one that 
will obey man. 

1323. in alle matter thinges = in all manner of things; i.e., in 
all kinds of armor. 

1327. on every part = on every side. 

1328. lepart = leopard. " The leopard was not for the Greek 
and Latin zoologists a species by itself, but a mongrel birth of 
the male panther or pard and the lioness; and in its name 
* leopard ' (or lion-pard) this, its assumed double descent, is ex- 
pressed." Trench. 

1329. alle and some ^ ono. and all; literally, "all and one." 
For this use oi some, cf. 11. 397, 1261-1265. " Summe other alle." 
An. R., 28. 

1330. Been come = are come ; intransitive perfect. 

t/ie Sonday. Palamon escaped May 3d (1. 605) and meets 
Arcite : this day was Friday, 11. 676, 681. Their duel was the 
next day, — Saturday, May 5th. They were to meet that day 
fifty weeks, which must be taken as meaning a year. May 5th 
the next year would be Sunday. 

1331. prime = six o'clock in the morning. " The first quarter 
of the artificial day." T. In the Catholic Church, the next ser- 
vice after matins, and hence the usual hour of such service. 

alight, to be construed with been. 

1334. everyck at his degre = each according to his rank. 

1336. To esen hem = to entertain them. See P., 29 and note ; 
P., 768 and note. 

1338. Of non estat qualifies man, to be understood from 
mannes. 



236 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

1340. moste and leste = greatest and least; highest and lowest. 
We generally use more and mos^ distributively. 

1341. paleys = palace. " A palace is now the abode of a royal 
family ; but if we look at the history of the name, we are soon 
carried back to the shepherds of the Seven Hills. There, on the 
Tiber, one of the seven hills was called the Collis Palatinus, and 
the hill was called Palatinus, from Pales, a pastoral deity whose 
festival was celebrated every year on the 21st of April, as the 
birth-day of Rome. It was to commemorate the day on which 
Romulus, the wolf-child, was supposed to have drawn the first 
furrow on the foot of that hill, and thus to have laid the foun- 
dation of the most ancient part of Rome, the Roma ^uadrata. 
On this hill the Collis Palatinus stood ; in later times, the. 
houses of Cicero, and of his neighbor and enemy Cataline. 
Augustus built his mansion on the same hill, and his example 
was followed by Tiberius and Nero. Under Nero all private 
houses had to be pulled down on the Collis Palatinus, to make 
room for the Emperor's residence, the Domus Aurea, as it was 
called, the Golden House. This house of Nero's was henceforth 
called the Palatinus, and it became the type of all the palaces 
of the kings and emperors of Europe." M. Miiller, Sc. of Lang, 
ii. 267. 

1343. ben = m\g\\t be, were. 

best daunsynge = best at dancing. The retention of final e 
indicates an inflection; the construction in A.S. would be a 
genitive, limiting the scope of the adjective. We are obliged to 
supply the loss of inflection with a preposition having the same 
force. 

1344. daunce — sifige, infinitives. 

1345* foly?igly='\n a manner indicating the possession of the 
feeling. The word means, actively, touchingly; passively, in a 
manner indicating sensibility. 

1351. The Sonday night. The feast lasted all day Sunday. 

To sprynge^=^ to dawn ; cf. " The day spring from on high." 
Luke i. 78. 

1353. nere nought = ne nvere nought = were not. 

1355. holy here refers not so much to state as to temporary 
purpose. 

1359. hire hour ^^ her hour. The hours of the day and night 
were allotted to the planets according to the following rule : 
The first hour of each day belongs to the planet for which the 



NOTES TO THE KNIQETES TALE. 237 

day is named ; then the succeeding hours to the planets in the 
following order: Saturn. Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercury, 
Luna. The twenty-third hour of Sunday (reckoning from dawn) 
would therefore belong to Venus. 

1363. lady myn = lady of me. Myn is genitive, not pos- 
sessive. 

1365. gladere = one who makes glad. 

1366. Adeoun=^ Kdionx^. 

1367. Have pite of^^ have pity (on me) because of. Pity is 
here followed by a gen. of source. 

1370. Theffectes = the forces, the power. 

1373. mercy = grant mercy. 

1374. thought^ ?imd&ty, melancholy. So used in the Bible 
and in Shakspeare. " Take no thought for the morrow." Matt, 
vi. 25. ''Take thought and die for Caesar." J. C. ii. i. The 
verb to think is also used in the same meanings. 

1377. Einforth = \.o the extent of, according to; literally, 
even forth. Em in composition denotes even, equal. 

1379. 50 == provided that, if so be that. Sometimes that fol- 
lows as used in this sense. 

13S0. je/;^^ ^ boast. The meanings are: (i) to cry like a 
dog, (2) to talk loudly, (3) to boast. 

1381. Scan : N' I n' aske | nat to [ morwe | to have | victorie. 

1383. ^r/s = victory in arms. 

blo-jjen ; i.e., by the trump of fame; by the heralds announc- 
ing the victor. 

1386. hozv = in what way. 

1387. but it may better be = unless it may be better. " I care 
not whether I win the victory or he, unless as one or the other 
may be better for my suit." 

1390. though so be = though it so be; in which case it refers 
to the sentence, " Mars is god of armes." 

1407. Scan : But at | te laste | the stat | u of Ve | nus schook. 

1408. ^(90;^ = conjectured, deduced. Still used thus in collo- 
quial language. 'You take me right." Bacon. There seems 
to be a connection between the words take and teach, — A.S. 
tacan, iaecan, Gr. Sixofiai, deinvvfii, — so that this colloquial use 
may be only a relic of a former well-recognized meaning. 

1412. tvente = turned : pret of vjende. Cf. " To wend one's 
way." 

1413. fhridde hour that ^^ the third hour after that; i.e., the 



238 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

first hour of Monday, and hence sacred to Diana or Luna. See 
note, 1. 1359. 

inequal. "In the astrological system, the day (from sunrise 
to sunset) and the night (from sunset to sunrise) being each 
divided into twelve hours, it is plain that the hours of the day 
and night were never equal, except just at the equinoxes. The 
hours attributed to the planets were of this unequal sort." T. 
By the use of this term Chaucer calls attention to the astrological 
hour, and indicates, without saying so, that this hour was sacred 
to Diana. 

1418. Ful redily= all ready for use. 

1420. longen schal=^ ought to belong, properly belong. Schal 
is here used in its original sense of obligation. 

1421. kor7ies = dY\n\i\ng horns. The fact that drinking cups 
were originally made out of horns, so that they could not be put 
down unless emptied, is preserved in the colloquial use of the 
word, to denote a drink. 

1423. Sjtiokyng the temple = while the temple was smoking 
(with the incense). An imitation of the A.S. dative absolute. 

1425. we//<? = spring. We speak of the " welling up" of water. 
Hence a source^ as Chaucer is called " a well of English unde- 
filed ; " finally its meaning has become restricted to the most 
common source of obtaining water, — a pit sunk into the ground. 

1427. " Except it be something in general terms." 

1429. Cf. "To the pure all things are pure." 

1430. "It is good that a man be free;" that is, from the 
temptation hinted at in the preceding line. // refers to the 
infinitive phrase. 

1434. Tuofyres^ — one for each of her lovers. 

1435. ////;/^e5= important duties. "The primitive meaning 
seems to be discourse, then solemn discussion, judicial consider- 
ation, council, court of justice, lawsuit, cause, sake, matter, or 
subject of discourse." Wedgwood. Hence, also, any matter of 
importance. 

1444. ^5= namely. ^5 = all-so, — all merely emphasizing 
so: its precise force here is " so by all means." 

1445. abo7igkte =^ ?>Vi^eYQd for, paid for; pret. of «^j/^. The 
original sense is to buy, with the stress laid upon the price paid, 
rather than on the fact of purchase. 

1446. Scan : Chaste | goddess | e wel | wost thou | that I. 
1454. ye 7nay and kan = ye are able and know how to. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 239 

1455. tkre formes, alluding to the fabled three forms of Diana, 
— on earth Diana, in heaven Luna, in hell Proserpina, — 
denoting the three marked forms of the moon, full, horned, and 
dark. 

1458. -withoiiten more = without asking any thing further. 

1467. As = in that case. 

147 1, maydenhode = maidenhood. The termination hood 
{A.S. /lad) denotes state, condition; it is sometimes written 
head ; e.g., godhead. 

1477. quykede ^XQ.y\wQ.di. "And you hath he quickened." 
Eph. ii. I. 

1480. his ^= its. iLt is not found in Chaucer, nor did it come 
into use until more than two hundred years later. The neuter 
pronoun was originally hi'^, of which the genitive was his. 

1481. out-ran = ran out. When a preposition is compounded 
with a verb, and the proper force of both is retained, we place 
the preposition after the verb; but if the sense of either is modi- 
fied by the composition, the preposition is placed first, and the 
two words coalesce. Out-run now means to surpass in running. 

1482. many con = many a one. See note, P. 168. 
1484. and gan to crte, — a fine touch of nature. 
1495. may nat = am not able, cannot. 

1502. made a vanysschynge =^ \din\'b\\Q,di\ cf. "And the wynd 
ceeside, and greet pesiblenesse is maad." Mark iv. 39 (Wiclif ). 

1504. amoicnteth = to what does this amount.? 

1507. nexte =^ nearest. Next is the regular superlative of neah, 
near; but we, having lost its connection with fiear, have formed 
a new superlative. 

1509. The nexte houre of Mars would be the fourth hour of 
the day. See note, 1. 1359. 

1510. walked is^^ has walked. 

1^12. payen wise ^^ pagan custom. Pagan, Lat. paganus, 
a villager, has reached its modern meaning thus: (i) villager, 
(2) heathen villager, (3) heathen. See note P., 70. 

1518. " Hast complete control of the issue of all contests in 
arms." 

15 19. as the lust devyse = as it pleases thee to ordain. 

1523. godhede = godhead. The termination hood, head, de- 
notes state or of^ce, and is thus adapted to the euphemism of 
using the abstract for the concrete noun. 

that = so that, to that degree that. 



240 NOTES TO THE KNIOETES TALE. 

1537. lyves = alive, living, — an adverb formed from the gen- 
itive, like needes, thankes. 

1538. doth — endure = causes me to endure. 

1539. ivher I synhe or Jieete = whether I may sink or float. 
These verbs are subjunctive. 

1546. "As severely as this fire now burneth me." Tyrwhitt 
reads : " as wel as that this fyr," &c. 

1548. travaile = labor, toil. Travel is another orthography 
of the same word. It originally denoted any uncommon or 
painful effort, and before the modern conveniences was not 
inaptly used to denote making a journey. In like manner the 
German Arbeit has passed from labor to travel. 

1551. In thy plesaunce = in that which affords thee pleasure; 
i.e., war. 

1552. I ivol my baner honge ; i.e., as a trophy: cf. "Our 
bruised arms hung up for monuments." Rich. III. i. i. 

1557. herd. Among the ancients, particularly the Eastern 
nations, the beard was held sacred as a pledge of manhood. 
Consecrating the beard was therefore a consecration of his 
manhood. 

1559. schere = shears, — now used only in the plural. 

1563. The preyere stynte, — the absolute construction. 

1566. " At which Arcita was somewhat terrified." 

Of -which, genitive of the source of the feeling. 

Hyjn agaste, — an imitation of the French idiom, — forming 
a sort of middle voice. 

1573. bigan his hauberk rynge = rattled his armor in token 
of assent. 

1575. dym = indistinct. Properly applied to objects of sight; 
dumb is, however, allied, and denotes rather inarticulate sounds 
than total inability to speak. Wedgwood allies dim to dam^ 
with the original signification to stop. 

" He herde a vols which criede dimme." 

Gower, Con. Am. ii. 293. 

1577. wel to fare = to succeed, to fare well. 

1579. " As glad (at his success) as is the bird of the bright sun." 

1585. pale Saturnus the colde, — alluding to the supposed 
astrological influence of the planet, which idea we have retained 
in the adjective saturnine, gloomy, stern. For further remnants 
of these astrological ideas, cf. jovial, from Jupiter; mercurial, 
from Mercury ; martial, from Mars, &c. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 241 

1586. Saturn was fabled to be the oldest god. 

Manye of aventures. We say "many adventures/' — as also 
" a thousand men," in which case the singular article shows that 
men is used in the genitive = of men. 

1591. " One may outrun the old, but not outwit them." 

1593. Al-be-it = although. 

^ynde = nature. "For kindnesse [i.e., feeling of kinship] 
he wept ful tenderly." K. Arthur iii. 221. In O.E. mikind^^ 
unnatural. " The kindly fruits of the earth." The idea of rela- 
tionship or community of nature underlies all these words. 

1596. In the time of Chaucer, Saturn was the outermost of 
the known planets, and thus had the -widest orbit. 

1597. The following lines specify the astrological influences 
of this malign planet. 

1598. drenchyjig ^^ diXownva^. Many intransitive verbs be- 
come transitive in A.S. by a change of the vowel. We have 
retained a few, as 5//, set ; lie., lay: drench is from drencan, the 
causative form of drhicaji, to drink; so t/ie?ican, to think, from 
tkincan., to seem. 

1599. prisoun in the derke cote = imprisonment in the dark 
cell; i.e., as a lunatic. See Burton Anat. Mel., pt. i, sec. 2, 
memb. i, subs. 4. 

1600. strangle =^ choking. " Our Saxon ancestors compelled 
the adulteress to strangle herself." Morris's Gloss, refers the 
definition strongly to this line, — probably a misprint. 

1601. juurmure ^^ murmuring; i.e., the complaint preceding 
a rebellion. 

c/ierles = churls. A.S. ceorl, a man. We similarly use the 
word 7nen, to denote laborers or servants; cf. "Like master, 
like man." 

1602. groyning ^ stabbing (Morris) as though from the noun 
groin, a point. Tyrwhitt explains, " to hang the lip in dis= 
content." 

1603. pleyn correctioun = full punishment. 

1604. sigtie of the lyouji = the constellation Leo. 

1609. jnaladies colde = deadly distempers. 

1610. castes olde ^^ old contrivances; contrivances of old, — 
long in use, thus proving their efficiency. 

161 1. Afyn lohyng = my look. 
1618. 7"^^/ = which fact. 

1629. Hit = it. The third personal pronoun in A.S. was 

16 



242 NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 

he, kco, hit, pi. hi ; the gen. his, hire, his. In the course of time 
the h dropped, and an anomalous gen. its was formed. 

Venus, possessive case. 

1630. by the cause ^\)Q,C2iUS&. 

schulde = inust. The pret. implies an engagement already 
made. 

1632. at 7iight^ as soon as it was night. 

1640. broxvdyng^&xvi)oxo\di&xy. From braid, hence worked 
with braid. 

1642. G(9/(^-<5e/e?^ = ornamented with gold. 

1646. G^^^_>'?2^== making ready; literally, rapidly moving. 
Morris explains as clattering. Tyrwhitt reads grinding, rub- 
bing. The interpretation given above, if tenable, comports 
better with the rest of the passage. The \soxdi gig in E.E. was 
used to denote any rapid motion, or a motion to and fro, as the 
vehicle so named from the motion communicated to the rider. 

" That for the swough and for the twigges 
This house was also full of gigges." H. of F. iii. 852. 
Cf. Ger. Geige, a fiddle. 

1647. Ther as need /5 = about what was necessary. - 

1652. 5/az'e5= staffs, bludgeons. We distinguish between the 
two plurals, — staffs being the pi. of staff, and staves denoting 
weapons. 

thikke refers to cotntnunes. 

1654. bloody sotvnes, sounds inciting to bloody deeds. 

1655. /e^/^5 == groups of people. 

1656. holdyng here questioun = holding their discussion. 

1659. '^^^'^ ivith the blake berd ; i.e., " Ligurge himself, the 
grete kyng of Trace," 1. 1271, 1272. 

1660. the balled=^thQ light hairej; i.e., Emetrius, ''the king 
of Ynde," 1, 1307, 1308. 

the thikke herd^= the thick haired; i.e., Arcite ; cf. " mjri 
heer that hangeth longe adoun," 1. 1557-59. 

1661. he lokede grym ; i.e., Palamon. 
1665. of his sleep ^ out of his sleep. 
awaked, Tyrwhitt reads " is waked." 
1675. made an hoo = cried oyez, hear ye. 
1678. dukes = duke's, gen. sing. 

1685. ^^ feyne = upon pain or penalty. 

1687. se7ide, subj. used for imperative. 

1688. with point by tynge = With sharp point, as in battle. 



NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 243 

1691. But one course with a deadly weapon was allowed on 
horseback. See 1. 1748. 

1692. "Let him fence on foot, if it please him, to defend 
himself." 

1693. at mescktef=^ xxniortumXo,, in the combat. 

1696. ke schal^= but thither shall he be taken. 

1697. if so falle=\i it may so happen. 
1700. ley 071. Properly a compound. 

1707. Up go7i = begin to sound, — a compound. 

1715. oon and o^/ier^=^ one and another. 

1717. dy ly me = betimes, in due season. 

1723. west-ward — under Marte = from the west, under the 
temple of Mars. See 1. 1049. "And clipyd hym taylard." R. Coeur 
de L. 724. 

1727. Is under Vemts est--ward=^ Under the temple of Venus 
from the east has entered. 

1733. any = either one. So A.S. aeni£-=a.ny one. 

1735. So evenly had they been chosen, as one would suppose. 

1738. " That there might be no deceit in the number." 

1739. cried -was. The next line is the subject. 

1747. Observe the alliteration in the lines following, — the 
spirit of the old Saxon overmastering the culture of the courtier. 

1748. He = one. He — >^^ = one — another. See below used 
as a demonstrative. 

Herte-spon = r\2LYe\. "Spoon" in Yorkshire denotes the 
navel. 

1749. Up springen. Observe the emphatic position of the 
prepositions; so, out goon, out brest. These are all compounds. 

foot=^gen. pi. of feet. A.S. fota. The common idiom of 
using this form with numerals indicates the persistence with 
which the common speech clings to the old forms. 

1751. to-heiven and to-schrede. To in composition has an 
intensive force. 

1754. He — Jie = one — another : this one — that one. 

1758 "And one hurls another with his horse adown." 

1762. " Another is brought (to the stake) from the other 
side." 

1763. doth hem = causes them. 

1767. " Each has unhorsed the other of them two." Other in 
E.E. is generally used without the article. 

1779. ^^^ r^5/e = his rest. So in Greek the article is used for 
the possessive. 



244 NOTES TO THE KNIQHTES TALE. 

1780. g'ati ke?ite = seized. 

1787* f^^ ^^ ^^-^ strengthe = in spite of his strength. . 

1789. So =^ in such a manner, so hard. 

1799. partye = party; i.e., to the suit = partial. 

1802. Anoon, Sic, = anon a noise is begun by the people. 

Of the people ; gen. of source. 

1804. scholde = would. 

1809. «5c>^a»?e</ == put to shame. 

1810. hold thy pees = keep quiet ; refrain from saying any 
thing; cf. "Keep the peace "= to refrain from violent action. 

1816. herkneth me: "which a miracle" is the ace. of direct 
object, and " me " is dative of indirect. 

1818. Of — jf/f7o« = doffed ; i.e., do-offed. So also don = 
do- on. 

1822. agayn him = tovf2ird& \nvci. 

1823. in comune = generally. 

1825. "And she was whollj' his in her countenance, as she 
was his in her heart; " i.e., she did not conceal her feelings, but 
expressed them by her joyful countenance. Cheere must be 
construed as in the dative, and her supplied. Tyrwhitt reads, 
"And was all his in chere as his in herte," — an easier but not 
a better reading. 

1826. ^r = fire. Tyrwhitt reads y^ry, which is undoubtedly 
correct. 

1828. For Tvhich = at which : before which. 

1830. "And before Arcite was able to recover him." 

1833. to-brosten, — his horse fell upon him and the projecting 
saddle-bow crushed his breast. 

1840. m memory and on lyve = in his senses and alive. 

Chaucer uses on lyve, alive, and lyves. 

1845. "Although this accident had happened." 

1847. schal is here used peculiarly. It indicates a belief that 
he will not die, because, from the circumstances — having fairly 
won his lady — he ought not to lose the reward. 

1851. Al ivere they = although they were. 
and namely oon = and one especially. 

1852. That — his brest-booji = whose breastbone. 

1853. To = for; cf. Lat. ad. 

1855. save = sage, — once a famous remedy, as its Latin 
name — salvia — implies. 

1857. as he ivel can = as he well knows how. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 245 

1S61 "But there was held to be no defeat (as in battle) but 
as in a (friendly) joust or tournament; for, indeed, there was no 
defeat." 

1867. O persone allone = one person by himself. 
" But for he may nought all him one 
In sondry places do justice." 

Gower, Con. Am. iii. 178. 
1848. ^«r/V</= roughly dragged. The origin seems to be 
shown in Fr. karer, to set on a dog. 

1872. coxvardye = cowardice. Wedgwood refers to Fr. couard 
from Lat. cauda, tail : hence, one who turns tail. It may, how- 
ever, be from co'iver^ to hide. Ger. kauern ; cf. "cowans and 
evedroppers." 

"Thanne cometh ther a cougioun with a grey cote 
As not of his nolle, as he the nest made, 
Another proud partriche, and precyth to the nest, 
Knd prevylicke ptritk. till the dame passe. 

And leveth the lurker that hem er ladde." 

Dep. Ric. ii. 16, 10. 

1873. leet cri'e == ordexQd (the heralds) to cry: let strictly = 
permit; here used by euphemism. 

1875. The gree = the prize (to be) as well of one party as of 
the other. 

1878. fully modifies three. 

1879. " And honorably accompanied the kings fully a day's 
journey out of his town. Worthily = for the sake of honor. 

1881. the righte -way = by the straight road. 

1882. have good day = m2iy you have good daj'. Abbreviated 
into " good-day." 

1892. For thilke vertu, &c., by aid of that virtue. "The 
expulsive or animal virtue (power) cannot, for want of the aid 
of the natural power, expel or void the venom; " that is, neither 
by the aid of medicines nor by the force of nature can he free 
himself of the poison. 

1897. "Neither is vomit nor laxative of any avail to him." 

1902. to chirche; i.e., to his funeral. 

1903. This al and som = this is the end of the matter. 

1904. For which = for which reason, wherefore. 
1920. Now — now = at one moment — at the next. 

1928. " And may Jupiter guide my soul so truly to speak." 



246 NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 

1933. art = the art or profession of knighthood. 

1934. " So mav Jupiter take the part of mj soul ; " i.e., favor 
me. 

1945. " The intellect that dwelt in his sick and sore heart 
failed without any delay, only when the heart felt death ; " that 
is, his affection for Emily ceased only with death. 

1952. cam nevere, supply thence, as indicated by tker = 
thither. 

1954. reg'istre = record; i.e., the " olde stories." 

1955. "Nor does it please me to tell the opinions of others, 
though they may write where they dwelle," — alluding to Boc- 
caccio, who, in his version of the tale, conveys Arcite's soul to 
heaven. 

1956. hem = them, those persons, others. 

1957. ther = therefore, may Mars take charge of his soul. 
*' O that Mars would." Morris. Tyrwhitt thinks that ther has a 
peculiar force in this passage. Ther is here equivalent to /or 
this, being the dative. So also Merch. Tale, 31. 

"This sentence and a hundred thinges worse 
Writeth this man, ther God his bones curse." 

Ther is here plainly equivalent \.o for this ; therefore, in the 
line under consideration, ther refers to what immediately pre- 
cedes, — " Arcite is cold." 

1962. to taryen forth the day^ to stop for the rest of the day. 
forth after a verb of motion indicate^ direction or limit. 

1966. For the more part = generally. Grief must either find 
vent in lamentation or else they die. 

1977. "Why wouldst thou die, when thou hadst gold enough 
and Emily .?" — a beautiful touch of nature. 

1982. tornen, infinitive, after seen. 

1984. likenesse, similar instances. To be construed as a 
collective noun, as though from the French like richesse. 

1992. And over al this = and besides this. 

1999. he took conclusioun = he reached the conclusion. 

2CXX). That ther as = that there where. 

2003. he hadde = he had had, had suffered. 

2007. hakke and hewe = cut down and cut up. These two 
words are nearly synonymous, in accordance with the tendency 
of the language to strengthen an expression by duplicating 
similar words ; cf. " time and tide." 

2009. ivel arrayed = well arranged. 



NOTES TO THE KNIGHTES TALE. 247 

2010. they, redundant. 

2015. tke same sute; i.e., of the cloth of gold. 

2019. bare tke visage, absolute construction in imitation of 
the A.S. dative absolute. 

2020. pite = pity. The use of nouns for adjectives in such 
cases must be explained bj an ellipsis ; e.g., it occasioned pity to 
hear. 

207.\. people — alle=^2\\ the people, the people altogether- 
Cf. " In many things we offend all; " i.e., we all offend. 

2023. That roreth of=^ that resoundeth with, &c. 

2027. " And Emily surpassing others in weeping." 

2029. I7i as moche = in order that the service might be. 

2046. The street was spread with black, and the buildings on 
either side were hung with the same. 

2053. With fyr in ho7id. It was the custom for the nearest 
friend to light the funeral pile. See 1. 2083. 

2055. " Severe labor and very great preparation was put 
forth at the funeral service and the making of the funeral 
pyre." 

2057. That — ^z5:= whose; refers to ^r with the meaning 
funeral pile. 

2066. for me = so far as I am concerned. 

2069. woneden = used to dwell. 

..." the wild beast, where he wons 

In forest wild." Par. L. vii. 457. 

2076. a three = in three parts; i.e., finely split; cf in two. 

2080. al so — the uncontracted form of as. — " the incense 
with as strong an odor as myrrh." 

2087. j'civels. From the same root as Joy (Lat. gaudium), 
hence denoting what occasion or indicate joy. The putting oft" 
of jewels was a sign of mourning. 

2089. sum7ne = some, plural, of so7n, one. 

2090. were = wore. A.S. -zverian is regular; this is one of 
the few instances in which we have, because of analogy, changed 
a weak into a strong verb. 

2095. Keeping the fire on the left hand. 

2100. liche--wahe=^ the watch (wake) held over the remains 
of the dead. This custom is very ancient. 

2102. Tvake-pieyes = games plaved while watching the re- 
mains of the dead. — funeral games. The custom of making 
this an occasion of merriment is not entirely obsolete. 



248 



NOTES TO THE KNIGETES TALE. 



2104. ifi no disjoint = with no disadvantage. 

2107. "But I will come from this point {then) briefly to the 
conclusion." 

2109. of certeyn yeres ^= by lapse and length of time. 

2113. ;poynt ; cf. "speak to the point." 

cas = a circumstance. Circumstances had brought up a cer- 
tain point for discussion ; in the discussion that ensued, the 
matter of alliance with other nations — and particularly the rela- 
tions of Thebes, which state Theseus proposed more closely to 
attach to Athens by intermarriage — was brought up for con- 
sideration. 

2119. Unxvist of him = he being ignorant: absolute con- 
struction. 

2121. in hye = in haste, hastily. 

2126. " He fixed his eyes where it was his pleasure to fix 
them," — probably on his sister. 

2131. tkeffect == the thing to be accomplished. We find this 
word used in two senses : ist, that which is to be done : 2d, that 
which has been done. 

2141. "Although they may nevertheless easily abridge these 
days." 

2142. "I need not cite authorities, for it is proven by experi- 
ence, except that it pleases me to declare my conclusion." 

2147. it be a fool=^ he be a fool. It is neuter to agree with 
fool. 

2155. spices = species. "The spices of penaunce ben three." 
Persones Tale. 

2157. lye = destruction, Fate. A.S. le£; or lae^: Tyrwhitt 
reads "withouten any lie," — an inferior reading. 

2158. sen at eye = see at once. 

2164. goon = walk. Go in E.E. means to walk, as to ride 
usually means to ride on horseback. 

"And some gone and some ride. 
And some prick here horse aside." 

Gower, Con. Am. i. no. 
2168. this thing =^ such things; plural. 

2170. nedes = of necessity. Morris reads nedeth. I have 
adopted Tyrwhitt s reading. The sense is : we also see plainly 
that, in regard to man and woman, that of necessity he must 
die. With nedeth^ we must read : " that it must be that." 
2173. Som — som = one — another. 



NOTES TO THE KNIOHTES TALE. 249 

2174. large field ^=\x\ the open country, where one would 
apparently be the safest. 

2175. Ther Jielpeth naugJit = Nothing is of any avail. 
2177. What = what power, who. 

2181. here agayns =^ against this. Here is dative. 

2185. it — that = that which : like he that for -who. 

2186. namelyche that = especially that which. 
2199 The cofitrarje = the opposite opinion. 

2207. "And yet they are not able to amend their desires that 
offend both his spirit and themselves." 

2211. of al his graces for all his kindness. An imitation 
of the A.S. construction of dat. and gen. with verbs of granting, 
refusing, and thanking. See March, § 297, d. 

2215. tvher = in whom, in what person. Wher is here used 
with an evident consciousness of its pronominal force. "And 
see now to whom is most sorrow in this matter." 

2221. Scan : and evV | hath doon j &c. 

2225. " Let I' i now see a proof of your womanly pity." Par- 
titive gen. 

2231. "For gentle mercy ought to surpass mere justice." 

2242. Sende = may God send ; subj. 

Hath it deere aboiight =^ hath paid dearly for it. 

2249. "Thus endeth (the story of) Palamon and Emelye." 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX., 



GLOSSAEIAL INDEX. 



ABBREVIATIONS. 



A.S Anglo-Saxon. 

cf. compare. 

E.E Early English. 

Fr Krench. 

Gael Gaelic. 

Ger German. 

Goth Gothic. 

Gr Greek. 

imp imperative. 

K Knightes Tale. 

A. 

A, one, P. 24. A.S. an, Ger. ein; 
indefinite article an, a. 

A- (prefix), in, on, P. 822; a-morwe, 
<i-day, K. 1765. A.S. an, on. 

Abbot, father. Hebrew ahha, 
father. — a title given in the 
Syriac churches to bishops. 

Abide, Abiden (pr. ahod, abood ; 
p.p. abiden, abyden), to await, to 
wait, K. 69, 2124. A.S. abidan. 

Able, capable. Lat. habilis. 

Abood, delay ( See Abide), K. 107. 

Aboughte (pr. of ahje), suffered 
for, paid for, K. 144-5. Aboughte 
trewelij, K. 1445 ; deere abought, 
K. 2242, paid dearly for. Some- 
times corrupted into abide. A.S. 
abicqan. 

Aboute, in turn, in a circle ; cf. 
"roundabout," K. 32. 

Aboven, above. O.E. aboon, A.S. 
abufan. 

Abregge, to abridge, shorten, K. 
2141. Fr. abreger, Lat. abbrevi- 
are. 

Accomplice, to accomplish, K. 
2006. 

Accordant, according to, P. 87. 



Lat L^itin. 

O.E Old English. 

O.Fr Old French. 

O.X Old Norse. 

O.S Old Saxon. 

P Prologue. 

pr preterite. 

p.p past participle. 

W Welsh. 



Accorde, Acord, agreement, de 

cision, P. 837. 
Accorde, Acorde, to agree, har- 
monize, please, decide, P. 244, 

830. Lat. <id-cor. 
Achate, purchase, P. 571. Fr. 

acheter, Lat. acceptare, Eng. 

cater. 
Achatour, purchaser, P. 568. 
Acquaintaunce, Aqueyntaunce, 

one known. Lat. ad-cognitus, 

Fr. accointance. 
Adamauntz, adamant, probably 

steel, K. 1132. Diamond is a 

corruption of this Avord. 
A-day, by day, K. 1765. A.S. an. 
Adown, downwards, adown, P. 

393, K. 245. A.S. of-dune, a-dun. 
Adrad, afraid, P. 605. A.S. on- 

draedan. See A, prefix. 
Afered, Aferd, afraid, P. 628, K 

660. A.S. afaeran, to terrify. 
Aflfyle, to file, sharpen, P. 712. 

Fr. Jil, thread, an edge. 
After, according to, P. 347, K. 

1877 ; for, P. 525 ; afterwards, 

K. 1201. Now usually restricted 

to time and space. 
Agast, terrified, aghast, K. 1483. 

Goth, gdsan, to terrify. 



254 



GLOSS ARIAL INDEX. 



Agaste, p.p. of agaze, to be terri- 
fied, K. 1566. 

Agayn, Agayns, Ageyn, Agens, 
again, P. 801, K. 34 ; against, 
P. 66, K. 929 ; towards, facing, 
K. 651. A.S. on-gean, a-gen, 
gen = again. Ger. gegen. Orig- 
inal force that of opposition ; 
hence also addition ; cf. ge, pre- 
fix, with cumulative effect, 
ge-hrothru. 

Ago, Agon, Agoo, Agoon, gone 
away, gone out, agone, K. 418, 
1478. A.S. agan, gone, agangan, 
to go from. 

Al, wholly, all, P. 76, 150 ; alto- 
gether, K. 226 ; although, K. 
1406 ; al be^ al speke, al have, &c., 
P. 297, 734; K. 979 ; very (em- 
phatic), K. 183. 

Alauntz, Alauns, a species of dog, 
K. 1290. 

Al be, although, albeit, P. 297. 
The full form would be although 
it may be. 

Al day, every day, always, K. 
310, 1618. A.S. ealle daege. 

Alderman, an ofiicer in a city next 
in rank to the mayor, and often 
charged with judicial functions, 
P. 372. A.S. ealdor-man = L,at. 
senatoT , 

Ale, ale,' P. 341, 832. A.S. eale, 
ealo, from a root signifying to 
drink. 

Ale-stake, a stake wreathed with 
green and set up as a tavern- 
sign, P. 667. 

Algate, always, P. 571. A.S. 
geat a way ; thus = always. 

AHghte, pr. alighte, p.p. alight, to 
alight, P. 722, K. 125. A.S. 
alihtan. 

AHe, all (plural), K. 54. 

Aller, Alther, Alder, of all (gen. 
pi. ) : with owe = of us ; here ^= 
of them ; youre = of you, P. 
586, 799, 823. 

AUone, Alone, only, alone ; per- 
sone allone, K. 552, 1867. From 
alle-one. Ger. allein. 

Al-redy, very quickly, K. 183. 
A.S. hrathe. 



Also, Als, as, P. 730 ; al-so, al 

simply emphasizing so. A.S. 

alswa, contracted also, als, as. 

Ger. als. The Ormulum gives 

all all Siva. See As. 
Altherbest, best of all, P. 710. 

See Alther. 
Although, though (al emphatic 

prefix), P. 230. 
Alway, Alwey, in all ways, at all 

times. A.S. ealle icega. 
Amblere, an ambling or pacing 

horse, P. 469. Fr. ambler. 
Amonges, amongst, P. 759. A.S. 

on mang, mengian, to mix ; Ger. 

mengen. 
Amorwe, on the morrow, P. 822, 

K. 763. a = in, on; cf. abed. 
Amounte, to signify, to amount 

to, K. 1504. Fr. monter. 
Amyable, pleasing, lovable, P. 

138. Lat. amabilis. 
Amyddes, amidst, in the middle ; 

a = in. 
And, and if, K. 356. Sometimes 

written an, an if. 
Angwische, anguish, extreme 

grief. Fr. angoisse, Lat. angere, 

to strangle ; cf. anger, so termed 

from its choking effect ; cf also 

Lat. anguis, serpent, literally, 

the choker. 
Anight, at night, K. 184. 
Anlas, a knife or dagger usually 

worn at the girdle, P. 357. 

" Low Lat. anelacius, either from 

Lat. anellus or anulus, a ring, 

from one fastened to the belt 

by which it was carried, or from 

Old High Ger. laz, Lat- latus, 

side." Webster. 
Anon, Anoon, in one (moment), 

anon, P. 32,424 ; an=in, on^=one. 
Apayd, satisfied, pleased. Fr. 

payer, Lat. pacare, Eng. pay. 
Ape, fool (metaphorical), P. 706. 
Apiked, adorned, trimmed, P. 365, 

— a neatness denoted by pick- 
ing off particles. 
Apotecarie, apothecary, P. 425. 

Fr. from Gr. 
Appalled, made feeble, K. 2195. 

So pall (as to pall on the taste), 



OLOSSAPdAL INDEX. 



255 



to lose energy, — not connected 

with pale. 
Apparailyng, preparation. Fr. 

appareiller, Lat. par, hence to 

join like to like, to fit. 
Appetite, Appetyt, desire, ap- 
petite, K. 812, 822. 
Aray, Arraye, dress, outfit, 

equipage, appearance, P. 73, 

330, K. 680. The root is A.S. 

raed, Ger. bereit, O.E. graythe, 

ready. 
Araye, Arraye, to make ready, 

to set out with ornaments, K. 

1188, 2009. A.S. geraedian, to 

make ready. 
Archdeken, gen. Archdeknes, 

Archdeacon or dean, an eccle- 
siastic next in rank below a 

bishop, P. 655. 
Arest, a support for the spear 

when couched for the attack, 

K, 1744. Named probably from 

the adverb = in-rest. 
Areste, to stop, to check, P. 827. 

Fr. areste, Lat, ad-restare. 
Aretted, imputed, K. 1871. Fr. 

arriter, to decree. 
Aright, indeed (on-right), P. 189; 

cf. a similar use of downright: 

exceedingly, very, P. 267 ; cf. 

right Honorable, right Rev- 
erend. 
Arive, landing, attack, P. 60. 
Arm, the arm, P. 111. A.S. earm, 

arm ; the limb fitted or joined 

on ; cf. Lat. armus the shoulder, 

ramus a branch. 
Arm-gret, as great as one's arm, 

K. 1287. 
Armypotent, powerful in arms, 

K. 1124. Lat. armipotens. 
Arreest, restraint, custody, K. 

452; cf arest. 
Arrerage, arrears, P. 602. Fr. 

arre'rages. 
Arsmetrike, arithmetic, K. 1040. 
Art, a contrivance, K. 1587. So 

Lat. ars. 
Arwe, arrow, P. 104. A.S. arewe. 
As, according as, P. 390 ; where, 

P. 407 ; as^if, P. 636, K. 1184 ; 

namely, K. 1245, 1499 ; as for, 



with regard to, K. 975 ; as now, 
for tlie present, K. 27. All the 
meanings are explained by a 
reference to the uncontracted 
form, all-so. 

Ascendent, that degree of the 
ecliptic which is rising at the 
moment of one's birth, and by 
which his fortune was astrolog- 
ically determined, P. 417. 

Aschamed, defeated, put to 
shame, K. 1809. A.S. ascam- 
ian. 

Aseged, besieged, K. 23. See 
Siege. 

Aslake, to appease, K. 902. A.S. 
aslacian, to slacken, to give way ; 
cf. slack, slack-lime. 

As nouthe. As now, at present, 
for the present, P. 462, K. 1406. 
A.S. nu tha, just now. 

Asonder, asunder. A.S. from 
sundrian, to sunder. 

Aspect, the position of the planets 
at one's birth, K. 229. 

Aspye, to discover, K. 562. Fr. 
espie?', Ger. spdhen, Eng. spy. 

Assaut, assault, K. 131. Fr. from 
Lat. adsaltum, opposed to siege, 
that is a sitting. 

Assayed, tried, K. 952. Fr. es- 
say er, Lat. exagere, to drive. 

Asschen, ashes, K. 444. A.S. 
asce, ashes, dust ; Ger. asche. 

Assent, consent, agreement. Lat. 
assentire. 

Assise, assize, a court held by a 
number of judges. Originally 
an assembly of Knights, with a 
justice, for the transaction of 
public business, which is prob- 
ably the meaning in P. 314. 

Assoillyng, absolution, P. 661. 
Lat. absolutio. 

Asterte, to escape, K. 737. Allied 
to A.S. astyrian. 

Astoneyd, astonished. Fr. eton- 
ner, Ger. erstaunen, Eng. stun. 

Astronomy, astrology, P. 414. 

At, according to, P. 816 ; after, K. 
1292. Lat. ad. 

Athamaunte, adamant, K. 447. 
See Adamauntz. 



256 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



A. three, in three, K. 2076 ; a = in ; 

of. in two. 

A.t oones, at once, — gen. used 
adverbially, K. 978. 

A-t-rede, to surpass in counsel, 
out-wit, K. 1591. A.S. atraedan ; 
cf. t-ivit. 

A-t-renne, outrun, K. 1591. 

A-tte, at the, P. 20, 193 ; atte beste 
= at the best, P. 29, 749 ; atle 
laste = at the last, at last, K. 
902. O.E. at than. 

A-tteyne, to attain, K. 385. Fr. 
atteindre, Lat. attingere. 

Auctorite, authority, a quotation 
from some standard author, K. 
2142. 

Auditour, auditor, a person ap- 
pointed to audit or examine ac- 
counts, — of course referring 
originally to the verbal state- 
ments of men who usually could 
not write, P. 594. Lat. audi- 
tor. 

Aughte (pr. of to owe), ought, K. 
2231. A.S. agan, pr. ahte. 

Aungel, angel, K. 197. Gr. dy- 
ysXog, a messenger. 

Auter, altar, K. 1047. Lat. altus, 
a high place. Fr. aiUel. 

Avantage, opportunity, advan- 
tage, K. 435. Fr, avant, Lat. 
ah ante. 

Avaunce, advance, P. 246. 

Avaunt, a boast, to make avaunt, 
to feel confident, to boast, P. 
227. Lat. vanus. 

Avayle, to avail, to be able, K. 
1543, 2182. Lat. ad valere. 

Aventure, chance, destiny, ad- 
venture, P. 25, 795, 844 ; an ac- 
cident causing death (a law 
term), K. 302. 

Avow, vow, promise, K. 1379. 
Fr. aven, Lat. advocate. 

Avys, Avis, consideration, advice, 
P. 786; opinion, K. 1010. Fr. 
avis, Lat. ad videre. 

Awe, fear, dread, P. 654. A.S. 
ege, Goth, aqan, ogan, to fear. 

Axe, to ask, K. 488. A.S. acsian. 

Axyng, demand, asking, K. 968. 
A.S. acsung. 



Ay, ever, always, P. 63, 572. A.S 
a awa, Gr. aei, Lat. aevmn. 

Ayens, towards, against, K. 651. 

Ayel, a grandfather, K. 1619. Fr- 
a'ieul, Lat. {avolus) avus. 

B. 

Baar, Bar, pr. (of here) bore, car- 
ried, P. 116, 158, 558,618. 

Bachelor, a young man, one not 
yet attained to knighthood, one 
not yet married, P. 80. From 
a Celtic root. 

Bad (pr. of bidde), ordered, P. 
787. A.S. biddan, pr. baed. 

Baggepipe, a set of pipes blown 
by a bellows shaped like a bag, 
P. 565. 

Baihtf, bailiff, P. 603. Fr. baillir, 
to govern. O.E. baili. 

Bak, back, K. 192. A.S. baec ; cf. 
Lat. tergum, as though Gr. repipoc 
for arep^og, from a-pe(/)(j, to turn. 

Bake, p.p. baked, baken. This verb 
was originally conjugated like 
take. A.S. bacan, boc, bacen. 

BaUed, bald, P. 198 (see note), 
light haired, K. 1660. 

Bane, destruction, K. 239. A.S. 
bana, literally, a death-blow. 

Baner, banner, K. 108 (see note). 
Goth, bandwo, a sign. 

Banysche, to put under ban, to 
banish, K. 867 ; cf. abandon. 

Bar (pi. bare), bore, conducted, 
P. 105, 673, 721. A.S. beran, 
baer, boren. 

Barbour, barber, one who dresses 
the beard. Fr. barbier. 

Bare, bare, uncovered, K. 900 ; 
bare-headed, P. 683. A.S. baer, 
Ger. baar. 

Bareyn (e), barren, deprived of, 
K. 386, 1119. O.Fr. baroigne. 

Bargayns, traffic, P. 282 (see 
note). O.Fr. barguigner, to 
trafiic ; literally, to wrangle. 

Barge, bark, a small ship, P. 410. 

Baronage, an assembly of barons, 
the barons as a body, K. 2238. 
Fr. baron, originally, man, hus- 
band; cf. A.S. iver, Lat. vir. 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX, 



257 



Barre, a bar, bolt, K. 217. The 
§ame root appears in spai- with 
an initial s; cf. O.N. barr, a 
tree. 

Barres, the usual ornaments of the 
girdle, perforated to allow the 
passage of the buckle. They 
were frequently of the richest 
description, P. 329. 

Batayle, Bataile, Battallle, bat- 
tle, P. 61, K. 751. From the 
root bat, blow ; cf. beat, Fr. battre ; 
cf. bat, a club, battery, assault. 

Baudery, license, K. 1068. 

Bawdrik, baldrick, a belt worn 
over one shoulder passing under 
the other arm, P. 116. A.S. 
belt. 

Bay, bay color, K. 1299. Lat. 
badius, brown. 

Be, (1) to be, K. 1377; (2) been, 
P. 56, 60. 

Bade, pi. bedes, a bead, pi. a 
rosary, P. 159. See note. 

Been, Ben, to be, P. 140 ; are, 
P. 178, K. 317 ; been, P. 199. 
Chaucer uses three forms for 
the plural, been, aren, are. 

Beer (e), a bier, K. 2013. A.S. 

. beran, cf. barrow, Ger. balire. 

Beest, Best, a beast, K. 451, 1118. 
Lat. bestia. Perhaps from beon, 
to be ; cf. animal from anima. 

Beete, to kindle, or make a fire, 
K. 1395. Literally, to make 
better. A.S. betan from bet. 

Bagger (a), a beggar, P. 252. 
Literally, a man with a bag, the 
universal characteristic of a 
beggar. 

Baggestere, a female beggar, P. 
242. 

BaUa, a bell, P. 171. A.S. from 
bellan, to make a loud noise. 

Bait, a belt. A.S. belt, Lat. balteus. 

Ban, see Been. 

Banadicite, bless him, K. 927, 
Lat. 

Banigne, kind, P. 483. Lat. be- 
nignus. 

Bant, a slope (a concave), a plain 
or level place at the foot of a 
hill, K. 1123. A.S. bendan. 



Berd (e), the beard, P. 270, K. 
1557. Ger. bart, Lat. barba. 

Bare, a bear, K. 782. A.S. bera, 
hterally, " the great beast ; " 
O.N. biorn. 

Bare, to pierce, to bore, subj. bere, 
may pierce, K. 1398. A.S. 60- 
rian. 

Bersten, to burst, to break by 
bending, K. 1122. A.S. berstan. 

Barstlas, bristles, K. 556. A.S. 
byrst, Ger. borste. 

Berya, a berry, P. 207. A.S. 
beria. From a root = to eat. 
The literal signification is there- 
fore food. 

Besaken, to beseech, K. 60. A.S. 
secan ; be intensive prefix. 

Best. See Beast. 

Besy, busy, P. 321. A.S. bisig. 

Bat, contracted form of better, P. 
242. A.S. bet. 

Bate, (p.p. bete), to beat. 

Battra, better, P. 524. A.S. betra, 
Goth, bats ; cf. boot, bote, advan- 
tage "what boots if?'' "to 
boot." 

Betwixe, betwixt, P. 277. A.S. 
beticyx. From root tuo ; cf. be- 
tween. 

Bavar hat, a hat made of beaver 
fur, P. 272. 

Bewray a, to betray, disclose, K. 
1371. Literally, to accuse, 
hence to point out. A.S. be- 
wregan. " Thy speech bewray- 
eth thee," Matt. xxvi. 73. 

Beyying, buying, K. 569. O.E. 
begge. A.S. bycgan. 

Bible, a book ; by way of em- 
inence applied to the Sacred 
Scriptures, P. 438. 

Bi-blad, be-bled, covered with 
blood, K. 1144. Be intensive 
prefix. 

Bifalle (p.p. bifalfe, bi fallen), to 
happen, befall, P. 795, K. 947. 
A.S. befeallan. 

Biforn, before, P. 572. A.S. be- 
foran. 

Bigan (v. aux.), did, bigan areste, 
arrested, P. 827. 

Bihold (pr. biheld, p.p. biholae, 



^17 



258 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



beholden), to behold, K. 1435. 

Literally, to hold one's attention 

to. 
Biloved, beloved, p. 215. 
Bisette (pr. hisette, p.p. biset), to 

employ, P. 279 ; to arrange, K. 

2154. 
Biside, near, beside (gov. dative), 

P. 402, K. 16. 
Bisy, busy, active, fierce, K. 1462. 

A.S. bisig. 
Bite, to act as a caustic, to bite, 

P. 631. 
Bittre, bitter, scalding, K. 422, 

1367. A.S. bittei- from bitan, to 

bite ; hence any thing pungent. 
Blak (def. and pi. blake), black, 

P. 557, K. 41. See note, P. 

627. 
Blake, pale, P. 627. See note. 

A.S. blac, pale. 
Blame, to blame, blamable, P. 375. 

O.Pr. blasmer, Gr. /3Aaa0??/zew. 
Blankmanger, a compound of 

capon minced with other in- 
gredients, P. 387. 
Bleynte, blenched, started back, 

K. 220 ; cf. blink. 
Blis, BHsse, bliss, K. 372. A.S. 

blis, from blithe, glad. 
BlLsful, full of bliss, blessed, P. 

17, 770. 
Blithe, glad, P. 846. See note. 
Blive, Blyve, quickly, K. 1839. 

O.E. bi-life ; cf. livehj, quick. 

See note, P. 846. 
Blood, lineage, family, K. 472. 

A.S. blod ; cf. Ger. bluhen, bliithe. 
Bocher, a butcher, K. 1167. Fr. 

boucher, from bouc, a goat ; hence, 

Hterally, a goat-killer. 
Boeler, Bokler, a buckler, a shield 

with a boss, P. 112. Fr. boucle, 

Eng. buckle. 
Bodye, abody, K. 139. See note. 
Bok, pi. bokes, a book. 
Bokelyng, buckling, K. 1645. 
Boket, a bucket, K. 675. Fr. 

baquet, a pail. 
Bold, ready, prompt, P. 755. A.S. 

bald, bold ; cf . Ger. bald. 
Bole , a bu^r, K. 128 1 . A.S. bellan , 

to bellow. 



Bond, a bond, that which binds ; 
in law a sealed written agree- 
ment, K. 746. A.S. banda. 

Bond, pr. of binde, bound, K. 2133. 

Bone, Boon, a bone, K. 144, 319. 
A.S. ban. The word originally 
denotes support ; cf. Ger. bein. 

Book, a book, P. 185. A.S. boc, 
Goth, boka, letter, writing, usu- 
ally derived from A.S. boce, 
beech, as beechen boards were 
used instead of parchment ; cf. 
Lat. liber. 

Boon (e), a prayer, boon, K. 1411. 
A.S. ben. 

Boor (e), a boar, K. 800. A.S. bar. 

Boot (e), remedy, P. 424. A.S. 
bot ; cf. beete, to mend. 

Boot (e), a boot, P. 203. Fr. botte; 
hterally, a bag of leather. See 
note ; cf. bottle. 

Boowes, boughs, K. 2059. A.S. 
higan, to bend, bow. 

Boras, borax, perhaps saltpetre, 
P. 630. 

Bord, table, P. 52. To begin the 
bord = to sit at the head of the 
table; see note. A.S. bord; cf. 
border. 

Bore, p.p. (for boreti) born, K. 684. 

Born, p.p. (for boreri), carried, 
borne, K. 120 ; conducted him- 
self, P. 87. 

Borwe, pledge ; to borwe, in pledge, 
K. 764. A.S. borh: cf. borrow. 
A.S. borgian, to lend upon secu- 
rity. Ger. borgen. 

Bothe, both, K. 858. A. S. batica : 
ba = both, twa = two. 

Bouk, body, — the same as bulk, 
K. 1888 ; cf. bulge, bilge. 

Bracer, armor for the arms [bras], 
P. Ill, — in this case to protect 
from the recoil of the bow- 
string; cf. bracelet. 

Brak, pr. of breke, broke, K. 610. 
A.S. brecan, pr. braec. 

Braun, Brawn, muscle, brawn, 
P. 546 ; cf. brawnij. 

Braunche, a brancli, K. 209. Fr. 
branche. The root denotes a 
support ; cf . br-ace ; hence an 
arm, bras ; also figuratively, the 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



259 



arm of a tree, — a limb as it is 
colloquially called. 

Breed, Bred, bread, P. 147. Ger. 
hrot. 

Breede, Brede, breadth, K. 1112. 
From A.S. brad, broad. 

Breeme, furiously, K. 841. A.S. 
breme, from bremman, to rage. 
Sanskrit bhram, to whirl vio- 
lently. See note ; cf Lat. 
premere. 

Breeth, breath, P. 5. A.S.braeth, 
originally probably denoting 
steajn. 

Breke (pr. brak, brok, p.p. brok, 
ibroken), to break, P. 551. 

Brem, a bream, a fresh-water 
fish, P. 350. 

Bremstoon, brimstone, sulphur ; 
literally, the burning stone, P. 629. 
A.S. bri/ne. 

Brend, burnished, K. 1304. A.S. 
))yr7ian, to burn : either from its 
shining, or because newly forged 
metal is bright ; so brand de- 
notes a sword, because forged ; 
cf. brand-new. 

Brende, pr. of brenne, burned, K, 
1567. 

Brenne (pr. brend, brent; p.p. brent), 
to burn, K. 1473. A.S. baernan, 
pr. baernde, p.p. baerned. 

Brennyngly, ardently, burn- 
ingly, K. 706. 

Breres, briars, K. 674. A.S. braer. 

Brest, breast, P. 115. A.S. by^eost 
(berstan), what swells or bursts 
beyond the surface. 

Breste (pr. brast; p.p. bursten, 
borsten), to burst, K. 1752. 

Bretful, brimful, P. 687, K. 1306. 

Bretherhede, brotherhood, broth- 
ers in a monastic order, P. 511. 

Bridel, bridle, P. 169. Wedg- 
wood suggests that the word is 
from bit, with r inserted ; hence 
that part of the harness holding 
the bit. 

Bright, bright, P. 104. A.S. 
briht. Formerly also applied to 
sounds. 

Procli, a brooch, P. 160. Fr. broche. 
This word means : ( 1 ) a pin ; (2) 



a buckle or clasp; (3) an orna- 
ment fastened with a pin or 
buckle. 

Erode, broad, K. 2166. 

Broke, p.p. broken. 

Brond, brand, K. 1480. A.^. baer- 
nan. 

Brood (e), Brode, broad, P. 155, 
471, 549. 

Broode, plainly, P. 739. Ful 
broode, very plainly. 

Brother, brother's (gen.), K. 2226. 
In A.S. this word took no in- 
flection in the gen. 

Brought, pr. of brinqe, conducted, 
accompanied, P. 566. 

Broun, brown, P. 109. A.S. brun. 
From brennan, to bum. 

Browded, braided, K. 191. A.S. 
bredan, to weave. See note K. 
1640. 

Browdyng, embroidery, K. 1640. 

Browes, eyebrows, P. 627, K. 
270. A.S. braew. 

Bulde, builded, K. 690. A.S. 
byldan. 

Burdoun, bass (in music), P. 673. 
See note. 

Burgeys, a citizen, a freeman in 
a city, P. 869. A.S. burg, Eng. 
borough. 

Burned, burnished, polished, K. 
1125. Fr. brunir, to polish. 

Busehe, Bussh, a thicket, K. 659, 
1155 ; cf. bosk, boscage, Bushman. 
Fr. bois, Ger. Busch. The word 
now denotes a shrub with thick 
branches. 

BusHy, attentively, P. 301. 

Busynesse, Bysynesse, occupa- 
tion, employment, care, P. 520, 
K. 149; anxiety, K. 1070. A.S. 
bysgian, to employ. 

But, besides, further, P. 142 and 
P. 154 ; except, P. 521, K. 262. 
This use is common in Chaucer 
and in Wiclif, and is the preva- 
lent meaning in A.S. But, 
O. Sax. bi-utan (by-out), is 
formed exactly like with-out, 
and is parallel to except (O.E. 
Ailnke), by which its meanings 
may be explained. It grad- 



26o 



QLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



ually loses its adversative force, 
and becomes a conjunction, 
like besides, excluding all except 
the point under consideration, 
from which fact it gains a neg- 
ative force. 

But if, unless, if not, P. 351, 582. 

By, according to, P. 600. A.S. 
hi, near. 

By-and-by, close to each other, 
one after the other, K. 153 ; im- 
mediately. " By and by he is 
offended," Matt. xiii. 21. 

Bycause, because, P. 174. See 
note. 

Byde, remain, abide, wait, K. 718. 
A.S. bidan. 

By falls, Bifalle (pr. bifel, byfel, 
byjil, impers.), to befall or 
happen, P. 19, K. 151. 

Byforn, byfore, before, P. 100, 
377. 

Bygynne Cpr. bygan, bigan, p.p. 
bygonne), to begin, P. 42, 52, 758, 
K. 690. A.S. beginnan. 

Bygge, big, large, K. 566. Ice- 
landic bolga, a swelling ; cf . 
bulge, bilge, the belly of a ship. 

Byholde, to behold, K. 505. A.S. 
behealden, literally to hold one 
to ; hence to hold or fix the 
attention, to see : "I am be- 
holden to you," "behold and 
see." 

Byhote, promise, K. 996. A.S. 
behatan. 

Byhynde, behind, K. 192. 

Byjaped, deceived, fooled, K. 727. 
" O.E.jope, joke, lie ; Yr.japper, 
to yelp. The root jap is con- 
nected with gab, jab, as in gab- 
ble, jabber," Morris. 

Byknowe, to acknowledge, K. 
698. A.S. be-cnawan. 

By-loved, beloved, K. 571. 

Byndyng, control, K. 446. A.S. 
bindan, whence, bind, band, bun- 
dle ; cf. the " binding force of 
an obligation. " 

Bynne, bin, K. 593. A.S. binne, 
a bin, manger, — that into which 
sometliing is put ; technically, 
an apartment in a granary 



in composition any receptacle , 
e.g., a coal bin ; cf. binnan, with- 
in ; inn, a tavern. 

Byquethe, to bequeath, K. 1910. 
A.S. quethan, to say ; cf. quoth. 

Byraft, p.p. of byreave, bereft, K. 
503. A.S. bereajian, to deprive 
of; cf. reave. 

Byside, beside, near, by the side 
of, K. 109. Of by side, from 
near, P. 445. 

Bysmotered, smutted, stained, P. 
76. A.S. besmitan, to defile ; cf. 
smut, smudge. 

Byt, 3d sing. pres. of bidde, bids, 
P. 187, — an abbreviation of 
biddeth ; cf ryt = rideth. 

Bytwixe, Bytwoxen, between, 
K. 22. From the radical two, 
twain, hence the idea of sepa- 
ration ; cf. twynne, P. 835. 

c. 

Caas, Cas, a state of things, what 
happens or falls, an accident, 
chance, P. 585, 844; circum- 
stances, K. 2113. Lat. casus, 
from cadere, to fall ; a law term 
= cases, P. 323, Lat. causa. 

Caas, a case, quiver, K. 1222. Fr. 
caisse, Lat. capsa ; cf . caisson. 

Cacclie (pr. caughte), to catch, 
select, P. 498. 

Calf (of leg), the fleshy part of 
the leg, P. 592. Collop is an- 
other form of the word. 

Cam, came, P. 547. 

Can, (1) to know, P. 210, K. 922; 
(2) to acknowledge, as in tlie 
phrase "can thank," K. 950. 
Ger. dank wissen. A.S. cunnan, 
to know ; whence cunning, ken. 

Cantel, a corner, K. 2150. ' O.Fr. 
chantel, Ger. kante. 

Cape, a headland, cape, P. 408. 
Fr. cap, Lat. caput. 

Cappe, a cap, hood, a priest's 
skull-cap, P. 683. 

Care, sorrow, K. 631, 1214. A.S. 
cnru. 

Carf, pr. of kerve, carved, P. 100. 
A.S. ceor/an, pr. cearf. 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



261 



Careful, full of care or sorrow, 
anxious, K. 707. 

Carie, to carry, P. 130. Fr. carier ; 
cf. car, cart, chair, chariot. 

Carl, a churl, a man, particularly 
of the lower orders of society, 
P. 545. A.S. ceorl, a man. 

Caroigne, a corpse, K. 1155. Lat. 
caro, flesh. 

Carol, a song accompanied with 
dancing, K. 1073. Fr. carole. 
So ballad, from ballire, to dance. 

Carpe, to talk, P. 474. Allied 
to chirp. 

Carpenter, a worker in wood, a 
carpenter, P. 361. See note. 

Carte, a chariot, car, K. 1183 ; 
cart, K. 1164. Fr. char, dim. 
charette. From same root with 
carry. 

Cartere, carter, K. 1164. 

Cas. See Caas. 

Caste, device, K. 1610. From 
caste, to contrive. 

Caste, to judge, plan, calculate, 
K. 1314. A.S. costian, —perhaps 
alluding to the primitive method 
of calculation by pebbles. 

Catel, property, chattels, P. 373, 
540, — the same word with cat- 
tle. Lat. capitale ; cf. Lat. pecu- 
nia, from pecus. See note, P. 373. 

Caughte, took, P. 498. See 
Cacehe. 

Cause, case, P. 423. This use of 
cause is now restricted to legal 
language. Lat. causa. 

Caytif, captive, wretch, wretched, 
K. 66, 694 Fr. chetif, Lat. cap- 
livus. As an adjective it de- 
notes that condition of body or 
of mind induced by captivity. 

Cercles, circles, of his eijen = eye- 
balls, K. 1273. A.S. eaganhrin- 
gas, eye-rings. 

Cerial, a species of oak, cerrus, K. 
1432. 

Certes^ certainly, forsooth, K 
17. Fr. certes, Lat. cei-tus. 

Certeyn, fixed, determined, P. 
815. Fr. certain. 

Certeynly, Certeyn (adv.), cer- 
tainly, indeed, P. 204, 375, 451. 



Ceruce, white lead, — used as a 
cosmetic, P. 630. 

Chamberleyn, a chamberlain, 
one having charge of the apart- 
ments in the royal residence, K. 
560 ; cf . Ger. kdmmerling. 

Chambre, a room, P. 28. Lat. 
camera, Ger. kaimner. 

Champartye, partnership in 
power : literally, partnership in 
land, K. 1091. Fr. champ-parti. 

Champioun, champion, P. 239. 
A.S. campian, to fight; cf. Lat. 
campus. A.S. camp. 

Chapel, a shrine, chapel, P. 171. 
See note, Lat. capella. 

Chapellyn, a chaplain, a clergy- 
man in charge of a chapel or 
shrine, P. 164. See note. 

Chapman, a merchant, P. 397. 
A.S. ceapman, Ger. kaufman; 
cf. cheap, chaffer (O.E. chap- 
fare), and the proper name 
Chapman. 

Char, car, chariot. See note, K. 
1183. 

Charge, care, any thing under- 
taken, P. 733, see note ; K. 
426, harm, K. 1429. Literally : 
(1) a burden; hence, (2) busi- 
ness of importance, weighty 
matters ; (3) whatever op- 
presses the mind; (4), what 
burdens the reputation; cf. 
cargo, caricature. 

Charitable, kind, P. 143, — not 
restricted to alms-giving. 

Charite, charity, love, good-will, 
an act of kindness, P. 532, K. 
575. Fr. charite, Lat. caritas. 

Charme, charm, K. 1854. Lat. 
carmen, a song, a magic incan- 
tation in verse. 

Chaunce, event, chance, K. 894. 
O.Fr. cheance, from cheoir, Lat. 
cadere, to fall, alluding to the 
throw of dice. 

Chaunterie, an endowment for 
paying a priest to sing masses 
for the soul of the founder, P 
510. 

Cheef, chief, K. 199. Fr. chef 
Lat. caput. 



262 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Cheeke, cheek, P. 633. A.S. 
ceaca, a jaw from ceowan, to 
chew; ct. chaw, jaw. 

Cheer (e), Chere, countenance, 
air, manner, appearance, en- 
tertainment, P. 139, 728, 857, 
K. 1361, 1825. Fr. chere, the 
face: (1) the countenance ; (2) 
states of mind or body, — par- 
ticularly pleasant states, — as 
indicated by the face; (3) that 
which causes cheer, as good 
cheer ; (4) outward demon- 
strations of such feelings, as 
"the cheers of the audience." 

Chepe, Cheapside in London, — 
the market, — P. 754. A.S. cea- 
pan, to buy. 

Cherl, a churl, K. 1601. See Carl. 

Chese, imperative, ches, cheseth, 
to choose, K. 737. A.S. ceosan. 

Chesteyn, a chestnut-tree, K. 
2064. Lat. castanea. 

Cheventein, chieftain, captain, 
K. 1697. O.Yr.chevetain; N.Fr. 
capiiaine, from chef, head ; Lat. 
caput. 

Chevysaunce, a loan, an agree- 
ment or bond given to secure a 
loan of money, P. 282. Fr. 
achever, to bring to an end, to 
accomplish. 

Cheyne, a chain, K. 2130. Fr. 
cheyne, Lat. ca-tena ; cf. tenere, 
to hold. 

ChUdren, pi. of child, P. 628. 
A.S. cild, pi. cildra, from cennan, 
to beget, — an instance of mod- 
ern adoption of a plural in n ,• 
cf. kin, kind, king. 

Chirkyng, shrieking, K. 1146. 
A.S. cearcian, to croak ;. cf. chii^p. 
In E.E. denotes the noise made 
by birds. 

Chivachie, military service, P. 
85. Fr. cheval, a horse. 

Chivalrie, Chyvalrie, the pro- 
fession of a knight, knighthood, 
P. 45, knightly exploits, K. 7. 
Fr. chevalier, a horseman. 

Christendom, Christian countries, 
P. 49. Dom [deman, to deem), 
originally denoted belief, so that 



Christendom meant the body of 
Christian faith ; also the coun- 
tries within which such faith 
was held : from the second 
meaning of deman, to judge, 
the termination dom indicates 
jurisdiction, as king-dom. 

Churche, Chirche, a building 
devoted to divine service, P. 
708, K. 1902. I see no reason 
to doubt the usual derivation 
from Gr. KvpiaKTi. 

Chyken, gen. chyknes, a chicken, 
P. 380. A.S. cicen, pi. cicenu. 

Circumstaunces, things apper- 
taining to, K. 1074 ; attendant 
rites, K. 1405 ; matters wliich 
indicate one's station in life, 
K. 1930; cf. "in poor circum- 
staaces." Lat. circum-stantia ; 
cf. Ger. umstand. 

Cite (e), a city, K. 81. Fr. cite', 
Lat. civitas. 

Citole, a dulcimer, K. 1101. 

Clad (p.p. of clothe), clothed, clad, 
P. 103. 2'A in the present is 
for dh. A.S. cladhian, Ger. 
kleiden. 

elapsed, clasped, P. 273. Ger. 
klappsen ; cf . clip, to embrace. 

Clarioun, clarion, K. 1653. Fr. 
clair, clear. 

Clarre, wine mixed with honey 
and spices and strained until it 
is clear, whence the name, K. 
613. 

Clatere (n), to clatter, rattle, K. 
1501. An imitative word. 

Clause — in a clause = in conclu- 
sion, K. 905. Lat. clausus, 
claudere, to shut ; cf. close. 

Cleer (e), clear, clearly, P. 170. 
Fr. clair, Ger. klar, Lat. clarus. 

Clemence, pity, K. 70. Lat. de- 
mentia. 

Clene, clean, cleanly, P. 133, 367. 
A.S. claene; cf. Ger. klein, small ; 
hence, neat. 

Clennesse, cleanness, purity, P. 
606. 

Clense, to cleanse, P. 631. A.S. 
claensian. 

Clepen (p.p. cleped), to call, P 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



263 



121, 643, K. 930. A.S. clijpuin. 
Still used as an archaic partici- 
ple, yclept ; cf. dap, dapper. 

Clerk, an educated person, a 
scholar, a clergyman, P. 285, 
480. See note. 

Cloke, a cloak, P. 157. Gael, doc, 
a mantle. 

Clothred, clotted, K. 1887. From 
the root clot or clod, a thick 
mass; cloud is from the same 
root, denoting vapor drawn into 
masses A.S. dot, Ger. Moss. 

Cloysterer, one belonging to a 
cloister, and hence not accus- 
tomed to appearing in public, P. 
259. 

Cloystre, a cloister, P. 185. Lat. 
daudere, to shut, 

Cofre, a coffer, chest, receptacle, 
P. 298. A.S. cof, a, cave; Fr. 
coffre ; cf. coffin. 

Cok, a cock, a leader, P. 823. 
A.S. coc, whence chick. 

Col, coal, K.JL834. A.S. col, Ger. 
kohle ; cf. -Lat. calere, to be hot. 

Col-blak, as black as a coal, coal- 
black, K. 1284. 

Colde, cold, K. 444, sad, K. 1062, 
fatal (what makes cold), K. 1609. 
A.S. cald, Ger. kalt, Lat. gelu. 

Colerik, irascible, bilious, P. 587. 
Gr. X^^V, bile ; cf. melan-choli/. 

Colers, collars, K. 1294. Lat. 
collum, the neck. 

Come (pr. com, p.p. comen), to 
come, P. 671, 672, K. 497. A.S. 
cuman, com, cumen. 

Communes, commoners, K. 1651. 
Fr. commune. 

Compaas, a circle, K. 1031. Fr. 
compas. 

Companye, company, P. 24. Fr. 
compagnon ; Low Lat. conpanium, 
— panis = bread, — a messmate, 
hence an associate. 

Compassyng, means taken to ac- 
complish any thing, K. 1138. 

Comper, an associate intimate, 
compeer, P. 670. O.Fr. compair, 
Lat. con-par. 

Complexioun, complexion, P. 
333 ; temperament, natural dis- 



position, K. 1617. Lat. com- 
plexio, a combination ; hence 
applied to the color of the skin, 
&c., as revealing health or 
mental characteristics. 

Compleynt, Complaint, com- 
plaint, K. 2004 ; armed complaint 
= riot, K. 1154. 

Compleyne, to complain, K. 50. 
Fr. complaindre, Lat. con-plan- 
gere, literally to beat the breast 
or liands in token of sorrow. 

Composicioun, mutual agree- 
ment, P. 848. Lat. compositio. 

Comth, cometh. 

Comune — in comune, commonly, 
K. 393. 

Conclusioun, a legal term denot- 
ing the close of a pleading, K. 
987. 

Condicioun, condition, P. 38. 
Lat. conditio, putting together. 

Confort, comfort, P. 776. Fr. 
confort, Lat. con-fortis. 

Conforte, to comfort, to make 
strong or brave, K. 858. 

Confus, confused, K. 1372. Lat. 
confusus. 

Confusioun, ruin, K. 687. Lat. 
confundere. So used in " The 
city of confusion." Is. xxiv. 
10. 

Conne, to know, to be able. See 
Can ; cf . to " con a lesson." 

Conquerour, conqueror, K. 4. 
Fr. conquerir, Lat. conquirtre, to 
seek, to obtain by seeking, 
hence to get the victory. 

Conscience, feeling, tender-heart- 
edness, P. 142, 150 ; conscience, 
P. 526. Lat. conscientia [con- 
scire), what one knows with 
another : (1) joint knowledge ; 
(2) self-consciousness, — "no 
more conscience of sin," Heb. 
X. 10 ; (3) conscience, a recogni- 
tion of the obligation; (4) the 
faculty by which such recogni- 
tion is had. In E.E. the first 
meaning is common = sym- 
pathy, — as though to know of 
affliction was to sympathize 
with it. 



264 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Conseil, Conseyl, secret counsel, 
P. 665 ; cf. " to keep one's 
counsel," an adviser, K. 283, 
289; cf. "of counsel." Lat. 
considere. 

Conserve, to preserve, K. 1471. 
Lat. conservare. 

Constellacioun, a conjunction of 
stars as atFecting the destinies 
of men, K. 230, — not here used 
in the ordinary astronomical 
sense. Lat. con-stellatio. 

Contek, strife, K. 1145. O.Fr. con- 
tencer, to strive. 

Contenaunce, countenance, ap- 
pearance, K. 1058. Lat. con- 
tinere, to hold together. 

Contrarye, an opponent, K. 1001. 
Lat. contra. 

Centre Contrie, country, K. 6, 
355, P. 216 ; see note. Fr. con- 
tree ; cf. Ger. gegend. 

Conveye, to accompany, to con- 
vey, K. 1879. Fr. convoijer, Lat. 
con-via ; the later use — to carry 
— seems to be from Lat. con- 
vehere, as when we call a wagon 
a conveyance ; cf. convoy. 

Coote, a coat, tunic, P. 103. The 
primary meaning is a matted 
lock of wool ; (2) a matted or 
felted piece ; (3) a garment 
made of similar material, and 
covering the whole body. 

Coote-armure, Cote-a., a coat 
worn over the armor, upon 
which the armorial devices of 
the wearer were embroidered, 
K. 158, 1282. 

Cop, the top, P. 554. A.S. copp, 
Ger. kopf, Gr. Ke(p-a7irj ; Lat. cap- 
ut. See note. 

Cope, a priest's gown which 
reached to the feet, P. 260 ; 
semi-cope, a short cape, P. 26 2. 

Corage, heart, spirit, courage, P. 
11. Fr. courage, Lat. cor. 

Cordial, an invigorating potion, 
P. 443. Lat. cor. 

Corone, Corowne, a crown, K. 
964. Fr. couronne, Lat. corona. 

Corrumpable, corruptible, K. 
2152. 



Corrumpe, to corrupt, K. 1888. 
Lat. corrumpere. 

Corven (p.p. of kerve), cut, K. 
1838. 

Cosin, Cosyn, a cousin, kinsman, 
K. 272. Fr. from Lat. consobri- 
nus. 

Cost, cost, P. 213, 799 ; for no cost, 
on no account, for no reason, 
P. 192, Ger. kosten, Lat. constare. 

Cosyn, aUied to, P. 742. 

Cote, a cell, cottage ; thence : (1) 
a place in which animals are 
confined, e.g. sheepcot; (2) a 
place in which men are con- 
fined, a cell, or, in sickness, a 
bed, K. 1599. A.S. cote, a cot- 
tage, bed, den. 

Cote, a coat, P. 612. 

Couched, Cowched, trimmed, K. 
1303; laid, K. 2075. Fr. cou- 
cher, to lay, Lat. collocare, to ar- 
range. 

Counseil, counsel, advice, P. 784 ; 
adviser, K. 283, of my counseil, 
as in legal phrase " of counsel." 

Countour, auditor, one who man- 
aged or reviewed the fiscal 
concerns of a country, — now 
usually called a comptroller, 
P. 359. Fr. comptour. 

Countrefete, to imitate, P. 139. 
In E.E. the idea of fraud is 
wanting ; counterfeit often de- 
notes a painting. Fr. contre- 
faire. 

Cours, course, P. 8, a rim ; K. 
836. Fr. cours, Lat. cursus. 

Courser, a horse ; literally, a run- 
ner, hence a fleet horse, one 
used in hunting or on the road, 
K. 94. 

Court, court, P. 140. See note. 

Courtepy, a short cloak of coarse 

' cloth, P. 290. 

Courtesie. See Curtesee. 

Couthe, Cowthe, Cowde, (1) 
could, P. 236, 326 ; {'2) knew, P. 
467 ; (3) p.p. known, renowned, 
P. 14, See Can. 

Covenaunt, a written agreement, 
P. 600. Fr. covenant, Lat. con- 
venire. 



GLOSS ARIAL INDEX. 



265 



Covyne, deceit ; literally, a plot 
between two persons to injure 
a third, P. 604. Lat. convenire. 

Cowardye, cowardice, K. 1872. 
See note. 

Cowde (pr. of can), could, P. 94, 
106 ; knew how, was acquainted 
with, P. 110. 

Coy, shy, P. 119. Fr. coy, coit, 
Lat. quietus. 

Craccliyng, scratching:, K. 1976. 
We have added the intensive s. 

Cradel, cradle, K. 1161. A.S. 
cradol. The original is found 
in crate, an open wicker case : 
hence, (1) any thing made of 
wicker-work, and (2) any thing 
made in imitation of it; e.g. 
grate ; cf. cradle, a tool for cut- 
ting grain, so called from its 
interlaced frame. 

Craft, craft, calling, occupation, 
P. 110, 401. A.S. craeft. (1) 
power, strength ; (2) that to 
which one devotes his strength, 
— his occupation. 

Crafty, skilled, K. 1039. Able to 
use one's craft. 

Crispe, curled, K. 1307. A.S. 
cirpsian, to curl, Lat. crispus. 

Croppe, crop, P. 7, top, K. 674. 
A.S. crop, top, hence an ear of 
corn, a harvest ; cf. the " crop- 
ping out of the strata ; ' ' to crop, 
to bite off the top. Some derive 
crop from ge-rip, that which is 
reaped. 

Crowe, a crow, K. 1834. A.S. 
craw, named from its note ; cf. 
croak. 

Cruel, blood-thirsty, cruel, K. 
799. Lat. crudelis, from cruor, 
blood. • 

Crulle, curled, curly, P. 81. Ger. 
krUllen, to curl ; cf. cruller, a 
curled or twisted cake. 

Crydestow, criedst thou, K. 225. 

Crye (pr. cryde), to cry aloud, to 
shout, P. 636 ; cf. A.S. graedan 
{ge-raedan), Goth, ga-raidjan, to 
command ; Scotch, greet, to cry. 

Cryke, a creek, harbor, P. 409. 
Fr. crique, a little bay. 



Culpons, Culpouns, shreds, small 
bundles, P. 679, K. 2Q09. Fr. 
coupon, from couper, to cut. 

Cuntre, Contra, country, P. 216. 
See note, Fr. contre'e. 

Cuppe, a cup, P. 134. A.S. cup- 
pa ; cf. coop. 

Curat, a curate, P. 219 Lat. 
curatus, from curure, to care for. 

Cure, care, K. 149. Lat. cura. 
Still used in " the cure of 
souls." 

Curious, (1) careful; (2) wrouglit 
with care ; e.g., " curious 
works," Ex. XXXV. 32; (3), 
exercising care ; (4) careful to 
learn; (5) that requiring care 
to understand, P. 196, 577. Fr. 
curieux, Lat. curiosus. 

Curs, a curse, an imprecation, P. 
655. An imprecation of evil in 
the name of religion, — the 
cross ; hence, any imprecation 
of evil. A.S. curs. 

Curteis, Curteys, courteous, P. 
249. 

Curtesie, courtesy, favor, indul- 
gence, P. 46, 725. Fr. courtoisie, 
the manners of the court ; cf. 
Ger. hof-lick : boorish, from bauer, 
a peasant. 

Cuts, lots ; draweth cuts, draw cuts 
or lots, P. 835 ; alluding to the 
practice of determining the lot 
by drawing straws from the 
thatch, or by drawing from the 
hand straws cut different 
lengths. The name and the 
act are common. 

Cytryn, a lemon-yellow color, K. 
1309. 

D. 

Daggers, a dagger, P. 113 ; cf. 
dig, dob. 

DaUaunce, play, gossip, P. 211. 
Ger. dahlen. " From Lat. talus, 
the ankle-bone of animals, then 
a die to play with, came ap- 
parently the O.E. daly, a die, 
plaything." Wedgwood. Hence 
play, spending time idly. 



266 



GLOSSABIAL INDEX. 



Dampned, condemned, doomed, 
K. 317, 887. Lat. damnare, to 
cause to suffer loss. 

Dar (2d sing. pres. darst ; pr. 
dorste, durste), to dare, K. 293, 
282, P. 454. A.S. dyrran, 2d 
pres. dearst, pr. dorste. 

Darreyne. See Dereyne. 

Daun, Dan, lord, a title of respect, 
used as we use s»-, K. 521. Lat. 
dominiis. 

Daunce, a dance, the olde daunce, 
the old game, 'F. 476. 

Daunce, to dance, K. 1344. Orig- 
inal meaning to stamp. 

Daunger, a dangerous situation, 
P. 402 ; jurisdiction, P. 663, 
see note ; line, K. 991. Lat. 
damnum, a fine. 

Daungerous, arrogant, sparing 
through arrogance, P. 517. 

Daunsynge, dancing, K. 1343. 

Dawen, to dawn, 3d sing, daweth, 
K. 818. A.S. daqian. 

Dayerie, dairy, P. 597. O.E. deye, 
a dairymaid. 

Dayeseye, a daisy, P. 332. The 
eye-of-day. 

DayesHght, dayUght, K. 771. 
Light-of-day. 

Debate, fight, K. 896. Fr. de'battre, 
to contend. From the root bat 
(beat) ; now restricted to wordy 
battles. 

Debonaire, gentle, K. 1424. Fr. 
de-bon-air. 

Decree, a law writ, P. 640. Lat. 
decretwn. 

Dede, a deed, P. 742. A.S. daed, 
a thing done. 

Dede (pr. of don), did, K. 891. 

Dede, Deed (e), dead, P. 145, 781, 
K. 147 ; death-like, K. 720. 

Dedly, Deedly, death-like, deadly, 
K. 55, 224. 

Deduyt, pleasure, K. 1319. O.Fr. 
dedut. 

Deef, deaf, P. 446. " The mean- 
ing of the Gothic daubs, daufs, 
Ger. taub, Eng. deaf, seems 
founded in the notion of stop- 
ping an orifice," Wedgwood. 

Deemeth. See Deme. 



Deepe, Depe, deeply, K. 1782 

Allied to dip, dig. 
Deer, a deer, K. 1292. A.S. dear, 

a wild animal ; Ger. thiei\ 
Deere, dearly, K. 2242. GaeUe 

daor, bound, precious. 
Deeth, death, P. 605. A.S. death, 

allied to deaf; cf. " a deaf nut." 
Detye, renounce, K. 746. Fr. 

defer, Lat. dis fidere. 
Degre (e), degree, rank, P. 40 

(see note), P. 744 ; position, con- 
dition, K. 983 ; steps, seats 

rising one above another, K. 

1032, 1721. Fr. degre', Lat. ^ra- 

dus ; cf . degrade. 
Del, part, portion, deal, K. 967, 

1233 ; never a del, none at all ; 

som del, somewhat. A.S. dael, 

Ger. theil; cf. "a good deal," 

in which good has its original 

force of great. 
Delen, to share, to divide, to have 

dealings with, P. 247 ; see note. 

A.S. dael an. 
Delite, Delyt, pleasure, luxury, 

P. 335, K. 821. Lat. delectare. 
Delve (pr. delf, dalf, p.p. dolven), 

to dig, to toil, P. 536. A.S. 

delfan, to dig, hence any hard 

labor. 
Delyvere, active, P. 84. Fr. de- 

livre, Lat. liber. 
Deme, Deeme, 2d imperative 

deemeth, to judge, decide, K. 

495, 1023. A.S. deman ; cf. 

doom, dooms-day. 
Departe, to separate, K. 276. Fr. 

depart ir ; cf. department. 
Departyng, separating, K. 1916. 

Lat. dis partire. 
Depeynted, depicted, painted, K 

1169. 
Dere, dear, K. 376. GaeHc daor, 

bound, held closely, hence pre- 
cious. 
Dere, to hurt, injure, K. 964. 

A.S. derian. 
Dereyne, Darreyne, to decide by 

battle, to contest, K. 751, 773. 

A Norman term, desrener, from 

Low Lat. derationare; cf. ar- 
raign. 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



267 



Dereyved, derived, K. 2180. 
Lat. denvere, to turn water from 
its main channel. 

Derk(e), dark, K. 1137. A.S. 
dearc. 

Derknesse, darkness, K. 593. 

Derre (comp.), dearer, K. 590. 

Deryve (3d sing, dei-iveth), is de- 
rived, proceeds, K. 2148 (Lat. 
de and rivus, a brook) : (1) 
(transitively), to divert streams 
of water into side channels ; (2) 
(intr.), to flow into side chan- 
nels; hence, (3) to draw from, 
or aside. 

Deserve, to earn by service, to 
earn, K. 374. Lat. servire. 

Desir, Desyr, desire, K. 385. 
Lat. desiderium, a feeling of 
want of something. 

Desiryng, desire, K. 1064. 

Despitous, Dispitous, pitiless, 
severe, P. 516, K. 738. Lat. 
dis pietas. 

Despleye, to display, unfold, K. 
108. O.Fr. desployer ; cf. deploy, 
Fr. deployer. 

Despyt, malice, spite, K. 83. O.Fr. 
despt't, Lat. despicere. 

Destreine, Destreyne, to oppress, 
K. 597. Fr. distraindre ; cf. dis- 
tress. 

Destraye, to destroy, K. 472. 
O.Fr. destruire, Lat. destruere, to 
scatter. 

Deth (e), pestilence, P. 605, a 
corpse, K. 1150. Goth, diwan, 
to die ; hence, (1) the act of 
dying; (2) that which causes 
death ; (3) the result of death. 

Dette, debt, P. 280. Lat. debitum. 

Detteles, free from debt or obli- 
gation, P. 582. 

Devise, Devyse, to speak of, to 
relate, P. 34, K. 136, 190; to 
order, direct, K. 558 ; to em- 
belUsli (to contrive), K. 1043. 
O.Fr. deviser, to plan; Lat. di- 
videre. 

Devoir, duty, K. 1740. Fr. de- 
voir, Lat. debere. 

Devoutly, earnestly, devotedly, P. 
482. Lat. devotus, held by a vow. 



Devynynge, divination, K. 1663. 

Devys, direction, advice, P. 816. 
Lat. divisus. 

Devysyng, adjustment, arrang- 
ing, K. 1638. 

Dewe, due, what is due, K. 2186. 
Fr. du from devoir. 

Deye (n) (pr. deide, deyde), to die, 
K. 251. Goth, diwdn. 

Deyere, a dyer, P. 362. A.S. 
deagan, to die ; cf. dag, dag- 
gled. 

Deynte, dainty, excellent, P. 168. 
Welsh, dant, a tooth. 

Deyntee, a dainty, a pleasant 
rarity, P. 346. 

Deys, a dais, a raised platform at 
the end of the hall upon which 
persons of distinction were 
placed, P. 370, K. 1342. Fr. 
dais ; cf. Ger. tisch. 

Diete, food, manner of living — 
not restricted as now to food, 
P. 435. 

Dight, dressed, arrayed, K. 183. 
A.S. dihtan, to set in order. 

Digne, worthy, P. 141; proud, 
disdainful, P. 517; noble, K. 
1358. Fr. digne, Lat. dignus. 
Primary meaning is worthy; then 
being applied to great or noble 
men, it came naturally to sig- 
nify that which was peculiar in 
their bearing, — too often pride 
or haughtiness. 

Diocese, the jurisdiction of a 
bishop, P> 664. Gr. dLOLKelv, to 
keep house, to manage. 

Dischevele, with unbounded hair. 
P. 683. Fr. de'cheveler. 

Diseonfiture, Disconfytyng, de- 
feat, discomfiture, K. 150, 1861. 

Disconfort, discomfort, K. 1152. 
Lat. dis confortis. 

Disconforten, to sadden, K. 1846. 

Discrecioun, discretion, K. 921. 
See note. 

Discret, discreet, able to distin- 
guish matters upon examina- 
tion, P. 312. Fr. discret, Lat. 
discernere, to separate. 

Disdayn, disdain. Fr. de'dain, 
Lat. dis dignari. 



268 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Disheryt, disinherited, K. 2068. 
Lat. haeres, an heir. 

Disjoynt, disadvantage, K. 2104. 
Lat. dlsjunctus. 

Dispence, expense, profusion, P. 
441, K. 1024. Fr. depense, Lat. 
dispensare. 

Dispitous, pitiless, P. 516. Lat. 
dis pietas. 

Dispitously, pitilessly, sternly, 
K. 266. 

Disport, gayety, sportiveness, P. 
137 ; sport, diversion, P. 775. 
O.Fr. desport. 

Disposicioun, arrangement with 
regard to others, K. 229 ; men- 
tal traits, K. 520. Lat. disponere, 
to arrange. 

Distress, restraint, confinement, 
K. 595. Fr. detresse, Lat. dis- 
tr-ingere, to bind fast ; cf . dis- 
train. This is the usual force 
of the term in law. 

Divinis, divines, doctors of divin- 
ity, K. 465. Lat. divinus, ap- 
pertaining to the deity. 

Divisioun, distinction, K. 922. 

Do (n), Doon (pr. dide, dede, p.p. 
do (n), doon, 3 pi. pres. do)i), to 
do, to perform, to do to, P. 78, 
268, K. 141; to cause (aux.), 
P. 766, 768, K. 84, 697, 1047. 
A.S. don, Ger. thun. 

Docked, cut short, P. 590. W. 
toe, that which is short or abrupt. 

Doctour, a teacher, a learned per- 
son, a doctor of medicine, P. 
411. Fr. docteur, Lat. doctus, 
learned. Literally a teacher, 
or one qualified to teach ; re- 
stricted in common use to hon- 
orary titles and to those licensed 
to practise medicine. 

Domb(e), dumb, P. 774. A.S. 
dumb, foolish, mute ; Ger. dumm, 
stupid; cf. A.S. di/m. 

Dome, decision, doom, P. 323. 
A.S. deman, to judge ; cf. deem. 

Dominacioun, control, K. 1900. 
Lat. dominus. 

Dong, dung, manure, P. 530. 
Originally denoting that which 
is wet, — allied to dag, daggle. 



Dongeoun, the principal tower in 
a castle, — a dungeon or strong- 
hold, K. 199. Lat. dominus ; cf. 
Gael, dun, a fortress ; also don- 
jon. 

Dormant, fixed, ready, P. 353. 
Fr. dormir, Lat. dormire, to sleep, 

— hence dormant = in the sleep- 
ing posture. 

Dorste (pr. of dar), durst, P. 227. 
A.S. durran, pr. dorste. 

Doseyn, a dozen, P. 578. Fr. 
douzaine, Lat. duodecim. 

Double-wise, duplicate, similar, 
K. 480. Wise = manner. 

Doute, doubt, fear, P. 487. Out 
ofdoute = without doubt, doubt- 
less, K. 283, Lat. dubitum, from 
duo, two. 

Douteles, doubtless, without 
doubt, K. 973, 1809. 

Dowves, doves, K. 1104. A.S 
duva, Ger. taube. Wedgwood 
suggests from its habit of duck- 
ing the head {dufan, to dive), 
but more probably formed in 
imitation of its note — as is so 
common in the case of animals 

— which the Ger. taube exactly 
represents. 

Dragges, drugs, P. 426. O.Fr. 
dragee, spices ; A.S. dryge, any 
thing dried or aromatic. 

Draughte, what is drawn, what 
is drunk at once, a swallow, P. 
135, 382. A.S. droht, from 
dragan, to draw. 

Drawe (imp. draweth), to draw, 
P. 835, K. 1689; to bear bur- 
dens, K. 558. A.S. dragan ; cf. 
drag, drag ; Lat. trahere. 

Drede, one who causes dread, P. 
1140. 

Drede (n), to fear, P. 660; to 
doubt, K. 735; (actively) to 
inspire dread. A.S. draedan. 

Dredful, full of dread, stealthy, 
K. 621 ; used actively. 

Drenchyng, drowning, K. 1598. 
A.S. drencan, causative of drin- 
can, to drink. 

Dresse, to put in order, arrange, 
P. 106, K. 1736. "And the 



OL08SARIAL INDEX. 



269 



Lord God took the man and put 

him into the garden of Eden to 

dress it," Gen. ii. 15. Fr. di-es- 

ser, Lat. dirigere. 
Dreye, dry, K. 2166. A.S. drig. 
Dronke (n) (p.p. of drinke), drunk, 

P. 135, K. 403 ; (pret. pi.) drank, 

P. 820. A.S. drincan, dranc, 

druncen. 
Drope, a drop, P. 181. A.S. dropa; 

cf. drip, dribble, droop. 
Drought, drought, P. 2, 595. A.S. 

drugath, from drygan, to dry up. 
Drowpede, drooped, P. 107. A.S. 

dropian, to drop. 
Drugge, to drudge, to drag, K. 558. 
Duchesse, feminine of duke, K. 

65. Fr. duchesse. 
Duete*, reverence, K. 2202 ; cf. Fr. 

devoir. 
Duk, a duke, leader, king, K. 2. 

Lat. dux, from ducere, to lead ; 

now denotes the highest order 

of nobility. 
Dure, endure, remain, K. 378, 

1912. Lat. durare, from durus, 

hard, therefore lasting. 
Dusken, to grow dark, to become 

shaded, K. 1948. 
Dwelle (pr. and p.p. dweld), to tar- 
ry, to remain, K. 115, 370, 1496 ; 

cf. A.S. dwelian, from the root 

dol, dull [immobile) ; so also 

dwelling =p delay. 
Dyamauntz, diamonds, K. 1289. 

See Adamauntz. 
Dyapred, wrought in flourishes, 

ornamented, K. 1300; see note. 

O.Fr. diaspre, Lat. jaspis, a 

jasper. 
Dyched, surmounted by a dike or 

rampart, K. 1030. 
Dyke, to ditch, to throw up a dike, 

P. 536; see note. A.S. dician; 

cf. Gr. TELxog. 
Dym, indistinct ; used with refer- 
ence to sight and hearing, K. 

1575; see note. A.S. dim; cf. 

Icel. dumba, darkness. 
Dys, dice, K. 380. 
Dyvynistre, a diviner, K. 1953. 
Dyvynyng, predicting, K. 1657. 

Lat. divinatio. 



E. 

Ecclesiaste, an ecclesiastic, P. 
708. Gr. EKKlTjaia, an assembly 
of citizens called out by the 
crier, — used to denote the 
church as being composed of 
the called — the elect. 

Ech(e), each, P. 39, 369. AS. 
aelc, ylc. Formed from the 
weak demonstrative, as O.E. 
thilke, from the strong, whilk 
(which), from the interrogative, 
and swilc (such), from the rel- 
ative, by adding the suffix lie 
(body). 

Echon, Echoon, each one, P. 820. 

Eek, also, besides, eke, P. 5, 41, 
K. 314. A.S. eac, eacan, to add, 
Ger. auch. 

Eelde, Eld, age, eld, K. 1589, 1590. 
A.S. eald, yld. 

Eeres, Eras, ears, P. 556, K. 664. 
A.S. eare, allied to the verb to 
hear. 

Ease, Ese, pleasure, ease, P. 768. 
Fr. aise, Lat. otium, leisure. 

Eat, Et, ate, K. 1190. A.S. etan, 
pr. aet, p.p. eten; Lat. ed-ere; 
cf. oat. 

Effect, result, K. 1624 ; in effecte, 
in fact, in substance, P. 319. 

Eft, again, afterwards, nought eft, 
not again, K. 811. , A.S. aeft. 

Egle, an eagle, K. 1320. Fr. aigle, 
Lat. aquila. 

EUes, else, otherwise, P. 375, 735. 
A.S. elles, Lat. alius. Elm A.S. 
means foreign ; e.g. el-land, for- 
eign land. 

Enibrowdad, embroidered, P. 89. 
A.S. bredan, to braid. Original- 
ly denoting a rapid movement, 
as of the hands in braiding. 

Emforth, to the extent of, accord- 
ing to, K. 1377. Literally even- 
forth, — em in composition sig- 
nifying equal, as em-cristen, a 
fellow-christian. 

Empoisonyng, poisoning, K. 1602. 
Lat. polio; cf. Ger. /////. 

Emprise, enterprise, undertaking, 
K. 1682. Fr. entre-prise. 



270 



OLOSSAPdAL INDEX. 



Encens, incense, K. 1571. Lat. 

incendere, to burn. 
Encombred, troubled, P. 508; 

tired (by a burden), K. 860. 

Fr. encomhrer, Ger. kumnier, 

trouble. 
Encrece, to increase, K. 457. 

Lat. crescere. 
Encres, increase, K. 1326. 
Ende, extremity, P. ] 5 ; portion, 

what pertains to one, K. 986 ; 

conclusion, arrangement, K. 

1007. A.S. e7ide, a part. 
Endelong, endwise, lengthwise, 

K. 1133. 
Endite, to narrate, relate, P. 95 ; 

K. 522. Fr. enditer, Lat. in- 

dicere ; cf. indict. 
Endure, to remain, K. 327. See 

Dure. 
Enfecte, infected, rendered void 

by bribery, or collusion, P. 320. 
Engelond, England, P. 580. Lit- 
erally Angel-land, — the land of 

the Angles. 
Engendred, engendered, pro- 
duced, P. 5. Lat. in-gen-erare ; 

cf. kin. 
Enhaunse, to elevate, K. 576. 

O.Fr. enhauncer, Lat. alte. 
Enhorte, to enhearten, encourage, 

K. 1993 ; cf. dishearten. 
Enoynt, anointed, K. 2103. 
Ensample, example, P. 496. Lat. 

exemplum. Sample retains the 

old form. 
Enspired, breathed into, inspired, 

P. 6. Lat. inspirare. 
Entente, intent, purpose, K. 142. 
Entuned, intoned, P. 123. Lat. 

tonus ; cf. tune, tone. 
Envye, envy, K. 49. Lat. invidia. 
Envyned, furnished with wine, 

P. 342. Vine is from the Fr. 

vigne ; wine is A.S. ivin. 
Eny, any. A.S. aenig, — the ad- 
jective form of one. 
Er, before, ere, K. 182. A.S. aer. 
Erchedeknes, (gen.) archdea- 
con's, P. 658. 
Ere, to plough, K. 28. A.S. earian ; 

cf. Lat. arare. 
Erles, earls, K. 1324. A.S. eorl, 



man, noble ; originally a title 

of honor, afterwards denoting 

an office, and now again a title 

of nobility. 
Erly, Erely, early, P. 33, 809, K. 

163. A.S. aerlice. 
Erst, first, before, P. 776. Erst 

than, sooner than, before, K. 

708. Supl. of A.S. aer. 
Erthe, earth, K. 388. A.S. eorthe, 

card, as though from eiian, to 

till. Ger. erde. 
Eschaunge, exchange, P. 278. 

O Fr. eschange. 
Esen (p.p. esed), to entertain, put 

at ease, P. 29, K. 1336. 
Esily, easily, P. 469. Fr. aise; 

cf. A.S. eathe, easily. 
Espye, to see, to spy out, K. 

254 ; cf. Ger. spdhen. A.S. 

spyrian, to track (cf. spur), to 

seek out. O.E. speer, to ask, is 

undoubtedly allied to sjry, al- 
though espy is immediately from 

the Fr. 
Est, east. Literally the icy region, 

according to Wedgwood. 
Estat, condition, state, P. 522; 

great estate, high condition, P. 

203. State and its derivatives 

are abbreviated forms. 
Estatlich, stately, P. 140, 281. 

O.Fr. estat. 
Estres, the interior parts of a 

building, K. 1113. Fr. estre, 

state, plan. 
Estward, towards the east, on the 

east side, K. 1045, 1727. 
Esy, easy, easy to deal with, P. 

223 ; moderate, P. 441. 
Eterne, eternal, determined, K. 

251. Lat. aevum. 
Evele, badly, evilly, K. 269 ; Jul 

evele, very badly. Goth, ubils, 

Ger. iihel. 
Evene, medium ; evene lengthe, 

medium height, P. 83; (adv.) 

in a self-possessed manner, 

evenly, K. 665. A.S. aefen. 
Evensong, vespers, evening ser- 
vice. P. 830. 
Evere, ever, at any time, P. 732. 

A.S. aefer, from a, always. 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



271 



eSveremo, for ever, evermore, K. 

174. 
Everich, Everyche, Every, 

every, P. 2, 241 ; each of them, 

P. 371 ; everi/cha (on), each one, 

every one, P. 31, 733, 747 ; lit- 
erally, ever-each-one. 
Everydel, Everidel, every part, 

completely, P. 368. A.S. duel, 

part. 
Ewe, a yew-tree, K. 2065. 
Exequies, funeral rites, K. 135. 

Lat. exequiae. 
Exiled, exiled, K. 386. Lat. ex 

and solum, away from one's 

native land. 
Expert, skilled, experienced, P. 

577. Lat. expertus. 
Eyhe (n), Eyen, Eyghen, ye, the 

eye, eyes, P. 10, 152, 201, K. 

38. A.S. eage, pi. eagen, Ger. 

auge, Lat. oc-ulus, allied to edge ; 

cf. Lat. acies. 
Eyle, to ail, K. 223. A.S. egl.ian. 
Eyr, air, K. 388. Fr. air, Lat. 

aer, perhaps from aether. 



P. 

Faculte, dignity, ability, K. 244. 

Lat. facultas, ability to do; 

hence also the character or 

bearing of an able man. 
Fader (gen. sing, fader, fadres), 

father, P. 100, 781. A.S. faeder. 

Allied to feed. 
Padme, fathoms, K. 2058. A.S. 

faethin, an embrace, a fathom ; 

literally, the space measured by 

the extended arms. 
Fain, Fayn, glad, K. 1579, gladly, 

P. 7u5. A.S. faega. 
Fair, comp./a//-ere, upright, good, 

P. 754. A.S. faeqer. 
Fairs, fairly, Avell, P. 94, 124, 273 ; 

openly, K. 126. 
Fairnesse, uprightness, P. 519 ; 

beauty, K. 240. 
Faldyng, coarse woollen cloth, P. 

391 ; cf. felt. 
Falle (pr. fil{l), p.p. falle), to hap- 
pen, P. 324, K. 810 ; befall, P. 



585, to fall, P. 131, 845, K. 1808. 
A.S.feallan, ])r.feol ; Ger. fallen. 
Falwe, pale, yellow, sallow, K. 
506. A.S. fealwe, yellow, Ger. 
falb ; cf. fallow. 

Famulier, familiar, intimate, P. 
215. ¥r.famiiier, Lat. famulus, a 
servant ; familia, a retinue of 
servants. 

Fare, affair, K. 951. A.S. faer ; 
literally a journey, from far an, 
to go ; cf . proceeding, and Ger. 
ver-fahren. 

Fare (n) (pres. pi. faren, p.p. 
fare {n), to fare, to go, K. 403, 
537, 1578. A.S. faran, Ger. 
fahren; of. welfare, farewell. 

Farsed, stuffed, P. 233. Pr./ar- 
cir, Lat. farcire • cf . forced meat. 

Farwel, farewell, K. 392, 1496. 
A.S. faran, an imperative. 

Faste, used for emphasis, yaste by, 
close by, near, P. 719 ; see note, 
K. 618. 

Fayn. See Fain. 

Feble, unstrung, weak, K. 511. 
O.Fr. fehle, Fr. faible. 

Fee, money, reward, P. 317 ; see 
note, K. 945. A.S./eo/*, cattle, 
Ger. vieh; cf. Lat. pecunia, from 
pecus. Fee symple, full possession, 
P. 319 ; see note. The develop- 
ment of meanings may have 
been as follows : (1) cattle ; (2) 
property (p?-o/)/7a»t) ; hence, (3) 
possession, or the right of pos- 
session; cf. also peculium, pecu- 
latio. 

Feeld, Feld, field, country, (op- 
posed to town), K. 28, 664. In 
heraldry, the surface of a shield 
upon which armorial designs 
were blazoned ; that part of a 
banner upon which the peculiar 
device is wrought, K. 119. A.S. 
feld. 

Feere,fear,K. 1486. Allied to A.S. 
faran ; cf. Ger. gefahr, O.E. ferli/. 

Peith, faith, P. 62. Fr. foi, Lat. 
fdes. 

Fel, FeUe, cruel, fell, fierce, K. 
701, 1772. A.S. fell 

Felawe, companion, 395, 648. 



272 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Frotn/^, money, goods, and lag, 

order, society, community ; cf. 

A.S. geferraeden, O.E. feolawred- 

den. 
Felawschipe, fellowship, P. 26, 32. 
Feld. See Feeld. 
Felicite, happiness, P. 337. Lat. 

felix. 
Felle (p.p. feld), to cut down, to 

fell timber, K. 844, 2066. A.S. 

fellan, causative of feallan, to 

fall ; Ger. fallen. 
Felle, fierce, K. 701. See Fel. 
Felonye, high crime ; literally a 

crime punishable with forfeiture 

of goods (/ee), K. 1138. 
Femynye, the Amazons, K. 8. 

Jj?ii. femina, A.S. faemne. 
Far {(ioxw^.ferre,fer, %u^\.ferreste), 

far, P. 388, 491 (comp.) further, 

more, K. 992. A.S. for as, as 

soon as, K. 790. 
Ferde (pi. ferden), proceeded, 

acted, K. 514, 789. A.S.feran, 

to go. 
Fere, fear, K. 475. A.S. faer. 
Ferforthly, according to, K. 102 ; 

literally, far forth-like. 
Fermacye, a medicine, K. 1855. 
Feme, distant, P. 14. O.'E.ferren, 

A.S. foam, from fer, far; Ger. 

fern. 
Ferre, Fer, further, more, P. 48, 

K. 1202. 
Ferreste, furthest, P. 494. 
Fers, fierce, K. 740. Lat. ferox, 

ferns, a wild beast. 
Ferthing, a fourth part, a small 

portion, P. 134, 255. Literally, 

a fourth-ing ; cf . fir-kin. 
Fest (e), a feast, a festival, K. 25, 

1625. Fr. fete, Lat. festum. 
Feste, to feast, K. 1335. 
Festne, to fasten, P. 195. To 

make fast; cf Ger. fassen. 
Fet (pr. of fecche, brought, 

fetched), P. 8l9, K. 1669. A.S. 

fetian, pr. fette. 
Father, a feather, P. 107. A.S. 

fother, Ger. foder, allied to Gr. 

TTTepov, akin to_/?y. 
Fattras, fetters," K. 421. From 

foot ; cf . Gr. md?]. 
Fetys, elegant, neat, P. 157. Fr. 



fait, Lat. factxis ; cf. Eng. feat, 
a noun. 

Fetysly, properly, neatly, P. 124. 

Fay, faith, K. 268. Fr. foi, Lat. 
fides. 

Fayne (pr. p.p. feipiede), to feign, 
to pretend, P. 705, 736. Lat. 
finger e. 

Fiers, fierce, K. 1087. luaX. ferox. 

Figure, a conception represented 
in material form ; a method of 
speech thus representing a con- 
ception, P. 499. In astrology 
a representation or chart show- 
ing the position of the planets 
at one's birth, K. 1177. - Lat. 
finger e, to give form to. 

Fil, Filla (pi. fiUen, pr. of falle), 
fell. 

Fir, Fyr,fire, K. 644, 2093. A.S. 
for, Ger. feuer, Gr. nvp. 

Fithal, a fiddle, P. 296 ; cf. Ger. 
fitscheln, to move to and fro. 

Fleeta, Flate, to float, swim, K. 
1539. A.S.fieotan; ct fleet, float. 

Flaisscha, Fleissh, meat, flesh, P. 
147,344. A.S.flaesc, Ger. fleisch. 

Flan, to flee, to escape, K. 312. 
A.S. fleon. 

Fletyng, swimming, floating, K. 
1098. 

Flikeryng, fluttering, K. 1104. 
A.S. fliccerian. 

Flok, a flock, P. 824. A.S. floe. 
Perhaps by metathesis for folc. 

Floran, a florin, K, 1230. A coin 
so named from the city Flor- 
ence ; cf . bezant from Byzan- 
tium. 

Flotery, slovenly, fluttered, K. 
2025 ; cf. Ger. flugende haare, 
dishevelled hair. 

Flour, a flower, P. 4, 90, K. 124. 
Yr.fleur, Lat. fios. 

Floytynga, playing on a flute, 
whistling, P. 91. Lat. flatus. 

Folde : (1) an enclosure ; (2) that 
which is enclosed, P. 512. A.S. 
fealdan, to fold up, to wrap. 

Folk, people, P. 25. A.S. folc, 
Ger. volk, Lat. vulgus ; cf . flock. 

Folwa (pr. p.p. folwede), to follow, 
P. 528, K. 1824. A.S. folgian, 
Ger. folgen. 



0L0S8ARIAL INDEX. 



273 



Folwynge, following, K. 1509. 

Folye, folly, K. 940. Fr. folle. 
Allied to fail. 

Fome, foam, K. 801. A.S. faem, 
fam ; cf. Ger. Jiaum, what will 
float ; cf. fowl, from flij. 

Fo (o), a foe, an enemy, P. 63, 
K. 732. A.S. fiogan, flan, to 
hate ; cf. fiend = one hated. 

For, as regards, as to, P. 142, 
387 ; because, because of, P. 
264, 443, K. 562, 930; /or al, 
notwithstanding, K. 1162; for 
al the world, in spite of, K. 514 ; 
for eny thinge, by all means, P. 
276, for fear of. The original 
meaning of for is in front of {he- 
fore, fore, Lat. pro), hence the 
ideas of (1) opposition; (2) pro- 
tection; (3) comparison; (4) 
attention. Also intensive and 
negative prefix. Ger. ver. 

Forbere, to forbear, K. 27. A.S. 
forheran. For =^ negative prefix, 
Ger. ver ; cf. forgive, forget. 

For blak, very black, K. 1286. 

Fordo (p.p.yorc/o), to ruin, to undo, 
K. 702. A.S.fordon, Ger. verthun. 

Forest, unsettled country, forest, 
K. 1117. O.Fr. forest, Ger. 
forst, Lat. foris, out of doors, 
denoting the country without 
the enclosure of towns. 

Forgete (p.p. forgetin), to forget, 
K. 2196. A.S. forgitan, Ger. 
vergessen. 

Forgive, to forgive, P. 743. A.S. 
forgifan, Ger. vergehen ; cf. Low. 
Lat. per-donare, Fr. pardonner. 

Forheed, forehead, P. 154. A.S. 
fore-heafod. 

Forme, form, proper form, in 
forme, properly, formally, P. 305. 

Forneys, a furnace, P. 202. Lat. 
fornax. 

For old, very old, K. 1284 ; cf. 
Ger. veralten. 

Forpyned, wasted away, P. 205. 
A.S. pi nan, to pine, from pin 
pain. For is here intensive. 
Pain is from Fr. peine, Lat. 
poena ; though A.S. pinan is no 
doubt allied. 



Fors, force, K. 1865. Lat. fortis. 

Forster, a forester, P. 117. 

Forth, henceforth ; with verbs of 
motion, on ; K. 804. 

Forther, comp. of fore, further, 
P. 36, 835. A.S. furthra. 

Forthermoor, further on, further- 
more, K. 1211 ; cf.fortherl/f, for- 
wards. 

Forthren, to aid, to further, K. 
279. A.S.ft/rthrian, Ger. fordern. 

Forth telle, to tell on, to con- 
tinue a story, K. 478. 

Forthi, for this, therefore, K. 983. 
Thi is instrumental of that ; cf. 
O.E. for -why. 

Fortunen, to make fortunate, to 
determine one's fortune, P. 417. 
Lat. fors. 

Forward, a promise, an agree- 
ment, P. 33, 829, K. 351, 1761. 
A.^. foreword, a word given be- 
forehand. 

Fother, a wagon load, P. 530 ; a 
large mass or sum, K. 1050. 
A.S. fother, Ger. fuder. 

Foughten (pr. and p.p.) fought, 
K. 841, P. 62. A.S. feohtan, 
feaht, fohten. 

Foul, P. 501. A.S./«Z, Goih. fuls, 
Ger. faal ; cf. filth. The prim- 
itive meaning seems to have 
been putrid. 

Founden, p.p. found, K. 754. 

Foundre, to fall down, K. 1829. 
O.Fr. fondrer, to sink. 

Fourtenight, a fortnight, K. 71. 
Fourteen-nights . 

Fowel (pi. fowles), a bird, a fowl, 
P. 9, 190. A.S. fagoV {fiiigol, 
from fleogan, to fly), Ger. vogel, 
Fr. volaille. 

Foyne (n), to make a stroke with 
a sword or spear, K. 796, 1692. 
O.Fr. foigner. 

Frankelyn, a free-holder, country 
gentleman, P. 216. Properly 
the son of a vilein who has be- 
come rich and purchased his 
freedom. Frank = free. 

Fre, free, P. 852. A.S. freoh, 
Gol\i. frija; cf. Goth, frij on, to 
love, Ger. frei. 



18 



274 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Fredom, liberality, freerlom, P. 
46. A.S. dom = condition, Gp»" 
thum. 

Freknes, freckles, K. 1311 ; cf. 
Ger. fleck, a spot. 

Frend, Freend, a friend, P. 299, 
670, K. 610. A.S. freond, from 
freon ; Ger. freund, Goth, frijon, 
to love. Free is allied. 

Frere, a friar, P. 208. Fr. frere, 
Jjai.f rater. 

Fresshe, Freissh, Freisch, fresh, 
P. 90 ; see note ; freshly, newly, 
K. 190. A.S. fersc; cf. brisk, 
frisk, Ger. frisch, Fr. frais. 

Frete (n) (p.p. /reten), to devour, 
to eat up, K. 1169. A.S./retow, 
Eng./re?, Ger. /ressen. 

Fro, from, P. 324, K. 213. A.S. 
fra ; cf . " to and fro," for- 
ward. 

Frothen, to froth, foam, K. 801. 
A.S. freoihan, to rub, — effect for 
cause. 

Fruyt, advantage, enjoyment, 
fruit, K. 424. Lat. fructus, from 
frui, to enjoy. 

Ful, fully, completely, very, P. 
22, 47, 136. From fill. 

FulflUe, Y).p.falfild, to fill full, to 
gratify, to satiate, K. 82, 460. 
A.S./id-fylla)i. 

Funeral, burial, funeral service, 
K. 2006. Lat. funeralla, rites 
appertaining to the burial of 
the dead. 

Fustyan, a coarse cloth, P. 75. 
So called from Fostat or Fossat 
(Cairo), the place of its man- 
ufacture ; now used to denote 
pretentious speech ; cf. bombast, 
from bombazine, cotton cloth. 

Fyfe, five, P. 460. A.S. flf, Ger. 
Jiinf, Lat. pente, Gr. irhre. 

Fyled, cut, filed, K. 1294. 

Fynde, to invent, P. 736, to pro- 
vide, K. 1555. A.S. flndan, Ger. 
flnden. 

Fynger (pi. fingres), a finger, P. 
129. A.S. finger, from fangan, 
to seize ; cf . fang. 

Fyr, a funeral fire, a pyre, K. 
2056 ; fire, K. 2084. 

Fyr-reed, red as fire, P. 624. 



G. 

Gader (p.p. gadr-ede), to gather, P. 
824. A.S. gader ian. 

Gaf (pr. of give), gave, P. 227. 

Galyngale, sweet cyperus, P. 381. 

Game, sport, pleasure, K. 948, 
1250. A.S. game ; cf. gamester. 

Ganaede (impersonal), pleased, 
P. 534. A.S. gamenian, to sport. 
The noun retains its original 
signification, while the verb de- 
notes plat/ in the sense of ga7n- 
bling. 

Gan (v. aux.), did ; gan preye, did 
pray, prayed, P. 301 ; gan espye, 
did espy, K. 254 ; c/an knytt.e, 
knitted, K. 270 : began, K. 682. 
See Bigan. 

Gappe, an opening, a gap, K. 
781. A.S. geapan, to gape, to 
open. An opening in a range 
of mountains, or in a fence, is 
colloquially called a gap. 

Gapyng, gaping, with the mouth 
wide open, K. 1150. 

Gardeyn, a garden, an enclosed 
place, a yard, K. 193. A.S. 
geard; see note, P. 149; cf.yard. 

Garleek, garlic, P. 634. A.S. 
gar, a spear, leac, a plant; cf 
gar-p'ike, hem-lock. 

Gastly, terrible, K. 1126; cf. 
aghast. Goth, geisan, to terrify, 
gaze. So also gaste, to terrify. 

Gat (pr. of get), obtained, gat, P. 
703. A.S. gitan, pr. geat. 

Gate, a gate, a passage-way, K. 
557. A.S. geat, probably from 
geotan, to pour out; cf. Hell- 
gate. 

Gat-tothed, having teeth wide 
apart, P. 468. 

Gauded, ornamented, fitted with 
gaiides or large beads, P. 159, 
see note ; cf. gaudy, Lat. gaudi- 
um. 

Gaude-greene, light green, K. 
1221. 

Gaudes, large beads on a rosary 
indicating a pater noster, P. 159. 

Gay, fast, active, P. 74 ; cf. Ger. 
jcihe, hasty ; ornamented, P. 
111. Fr. qai. 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



275 



Gayler, jailer, gaoler, K. 206. 
Irish gabha'il, to take prisoner. 

Gayne (n), to avail, K. 318. A.S. 
gegn ; cf . gynan, to gain. From 
the idea of opposition comes 
the idea of juxtaposition, and 
hence the idea of addition. So 
also ivith. 

Geere, Ger (e), articles for use, 
— particularly clothing and 
weapons, P. 352, 365, K. 158, 
1322 ; external appearance, de- 
meanor, K. 514. A.S. gearwa, 
clothing, preparation, from ^rear- 
wian, to make ready; cf. E.E. 
yare, ready. 

Gentil, noble, well-bred, P. 72, 
567, 669, K. 1681 ; affable, lib- 
eral, P. 647. Lat. gentilis, from 
gens. The following may have 
been the order of development : 
(1) high-born; (2) with the 
manners of those high-born, 
genteel ; (3) with the mental 
qualities of the high-born, gen- 
tle ; (4) by analogy applied to 
things. 

Gentilnesse, nobility ; hence also 
the mental traits which should 
distinguish the well-bred, gen- 
tleness, gentility, K. 62. 

Ger (e). See Geere. 

Gerdel, a girdle, P. 358. Ger. 
giirtel, Goth, gairda, allied to 
yard, an inclosure. 

Gerful, changeful, K. 680. Lat. 
gyrare. 

Gerland, a garland, K, 196. 
Primitive meaning = an orna- 
ment ; allied to gallant ; Fr. guir- 
lunde. 

Gerner, a garner, granary, P. 593. 
Fr. grenier, Lat. granarium. 

Gary, changeable, K. 678. Fr. 
girer, Lat. gyrare. 

Gesse, to think, suppose, P. 82, 
118. A frequentative from 
O.N. geta, to get. 

Get, fashion, P. 682. O.Fr. get, 
contrivance. We use get-up in 
this sense. 

Gete (n) (pr. gat, p.p. geten), to 
get, acquire, P. 291 ; to keep 



possession of (cf. Lat. obtinere), 

K. 1897. A.S. gitan, geat, geten. 
Giggyng, making ready, moving 

quickly, K. 1646. 
GUe, guile, deceit, K. 1738. A.S. 

wile, Eng. wiles, wily. Where 

the same word is spelled with w 

and gu it indicates a Teutonic 

word which has come to us 

through both the A.S. and the 

Fr. 
Gilteles, free from blame, guilt- 
less, K. 454. 
Gipoun, a short frock or cassock, 

P. 75. Fr. gipon ; cf . jumper, a 

jacket. 
Gipser, a purse, P. 357. Fr. gib- 

beciere, a pouch, giffbe, a bunch. 
Gird, p.p. girded, P. 329. 
Girt, pierced; thurg-girt, pierced 

through, K. 152. From the 

notion of striking implied in 

A.S. gyrd, a rod. 
Gladen, to cheer, to make glad, 

K. 1917. Alhed to glitter, "And 

oil to make his face to shine," 

Ps. civ. 15. 
Gladere, one who makes glad, K. 

1365. 
Glaryng, staring, P. 684: (1) 

shining; (2) evident ; (3) large, 

easily seen. Allied to Lat. 

clams, gloria, Eng. glare. 
Glas, gray amber or ambergris, 

P. 152; any thing made of glass, 

a glass case, P. 700. A.S.glaes. 

From the root glare, glow; cf, 

Ger. gleissen, to shine. 
Gleede, a burning coal, K. 1139. 

A.S. gled, from glowan, to glow ; 

Ger. gliihen. 
Glowen (p. glowede), to glow, 

shine, K. 1274. 
Go (n). Goon (pres. sin^. goth, pi. 

gon, goon, p.p. go [n), goon), to 

"walk, to go, K. 598, P. 771, K. 

663, 2164, P. 377, 450, K. 1394. 

A.S. gan (gangan), p.p. gangen. 
Gobet, a small piece, P. 696. 

O.Fr. gob, a morsel. Still in 

colloquial use. 
Godhede, divinity, godhead, K. 

1523 ; cf. man-hood. 



276 



GL0S8ARIAL INDEX. 



Golyardeys, a buffoon, a glutton, 
P. 560. 

Gonne, pi. of gan (q.v.), began, 
K. 800; did (v. aux.), K. 1021. 

Good, goods, property, P. 581. 
A.S. god (s. & pi.) ; Lat. bona, 
Gr. ay add, are all used similarly. 

Good (e), good, P. 850. A.S. god, 
Goth. 170^^5, Gr. uyadog, Ger. 
gut. Tlie resemblance between 
good and God is probably only 
accidental. 

Goost, a ghost, spirit, P. 206 ; 
see note. A.S. gast ; cf. gaze, 
to terrify ; Ger. geist, a spirit. 

Goot, a goat, P. 688. A.S. gat. 

Gooth, goeth, goes, K. 213. 

Gospel, the gospel, P. 481. A.S. 
god-spell, good tidings ; cf. Gr. 
evayyekiov . 

Goune, Gowne, a gown, P. 93, 
391. W. gwn; cf. Nor. Fr. 
goune, It. gonna. 

Governaunce, management, con- 
trol. P. 281, K. 455. ^ 

Governynge, control, P. 599. See 
note. 

Grace, favor, P. 88, K. 262; gift, 
P. 573. Lat. gratia, that given 
without return ; cf. gratis. 

Graunte, a grant, concession, 
favor, K. 448. 

Graunte, to grant, to promise, P. 
786, K. 762. Fr. granter, cre- 
anter. The two meanings have 
different origin. 

Grauntyng, permission, K. 1581. 

Gree, a prize, K. 1875. Fr. gre', 
Lat. gratum. 

Greece, grease, P. 135. Fr. 
graisse, Lat. crassus. 

Greene, Grene, green, P. 103. 
A.S. grene, from growan, to 
grow ; hence the color of grow- 
ing plants ; metaphorically ap- 
plied to persons to denote im- 
maturity ; cf . Lat. viridis, from 
virere. 

Grene, growth, prosperity, K. 
654. 

Gret, Greet (def. and pi. grete, 
grette, comp. grettere ; supl. gret- 
teste), great, superior, P. 84, 137; 



(comp.) P. 197, (supl.) P. 120. 
A.S. great ; cf. Ger. gross. 

Greve, a grove, pi. branches, K. 
637, 649. A.S. graef, from 
grafan, to cut. So grove is used 
in scripture for a graven image, 
a statute ; cf. grave, grub. 

Greve, to grieve, K. 59. Lat. 
gravare, to oppress. 

Greye, gray, P. 152. A.S- graeg, 
Ger. grau ; cf. Gr. ypala, an old 
woman. " The original mean- 
ing is probably parti-colored," 
Wedgwood. 

Greyn, grain, crops of grain, P. 
596. Lat. granum. 

Gri£Foun, a griffin, — a mythologi- 
cal animal, a lion with an eagle's 
head, wings, and talons, K. 1275. 

Grisly, dreadful, K. 505. A.S. 
grislic, from qrisan, to dread. 

Grope, to try,"test, P. 644. A.S. 
grapian, to feel with the hand. 
Ger. greifen; cf. grab, grabble, 
garble, grip, gripe, grapple, grasp, 
'&c. 

Groynyng, stabbing, K. 1602. 
See note. 

Grucche, to murmur, grudge, K. 
2187. Fr. groucher, to rumble. 

Gruf, flat on the ground, K. 91. 
See note ; cf . grovel. 

Grym, Grim, fierce, terrible, grim, 
K. 1184. A.S.griin, from gri^n- 
man, to rage ; cf. grum. 

Grys, fur of the Siberian squirrel, 
P. 194. Fr. gris, gray. 

Guide, the marigold, K. 1071. 
Mary's flow^er. 

Gulty, guilty, P. 660. A.S. gylt, 
crime, — that which must be 
atoned for, from gyldan, to pay, 
— crimes being usually punished 
by fine ; hence guilt would sig- 
nify : ( 1 ) the money paid as a 
fine (cf. Ger. gelt) ; (2) the crime 
thus atoned for ; (3) an expos- 
ure to legal penalty. 

Gurles, young people of either 
sex, P. 664. See note. 

Gyde, a guide, P. 804. A.S. and 
Goth, witan, to watch over ; 
Ger. weisen. 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



277 



Gye, to guide, turn, K. 1092. Fr. 
guider, — the same word as 
guide; cf. (/wy-rope. See supra. 

Gylt, guilt, k." 907. See Gulty. 

Gyngelen, to jingle, P. 170; cf. 
Ger. klingeln. 

Gynne, to begin, K. 2160. 

Gyse, fashion, manner, guise, cus- 
tom, K. 135, 350. Fr. guise, 
Eng. loise, Ger. weise. 

H. 

Haberdasher, a dealer in miscel- 
laneous articles, P. 361. See 
note. 

Habergeoun, Habergoun, a small 
coat of mail, P. 76, K. 1261. 
A.S. heals, neck, beorge, protec- 
tion ; Ger. halsherg. 

Habyt, physical temperament, 
habit of body ; also customary 
appearance, dress, K. 520. Fr. 
habit, Lat. habitus. 

Hadde, Hade, had, P. 554. Syn- 
copated form of haved. 

Hakke, to cut up, to cut with 
many strokes, K. 2007. A.S. 
haccan ; cf. hatchet : Fr. hacker, 
to mince ; Eng. hash. 

Haifa (adv.), half, P. 8. A.S. 
healfe, Ger. halb. See note. 

Halwes, shrines, saints, P. 14. 
A.S. haliq, holy, Eng. hallow. 
So All-hallow -eve = All-saints- 
eve. 

Hamer, a hammer, K. 1650. A.S. 
hamor. 

Han, to have, P. 378. A syn- 
copated form oi haven (inf.). 

Happes to happen, P. 585. Hap, 
luck ; cf. happji, mishap, perhaps. 

Harde, firm, strong, K. 1277. 
A.S. heard, Ger. hart, Goth. 
hardus, Gr. Kaprog: (1) what is 
firm or strong; (2) what may 
be relied on ; (cf. hardi/). 

Hardily, certainly, P. 156. 

Hardy, bold, daring, P. 405, K. 
853 ; literally, strong. See Har- 
de. Fr. hardi, A.S. heard, bold. 

Hardynesse, boldness, K. 1090. 
The idea of rashness is now as- 



sociated with this word, as fool- 
hardiness, hardihood. 

Haried, hurried, taken prisoner, 
K. 1868. A.S. herian, 'Er.harier. 
The origin may be Fr. harer, to 
set on a dog. 

Harlot, a youth, P. 647 ; later 
denoting: (1) a person of low 
birth, or one engaged in menial 
service ; (2) a person of bad 
conduct, especially a woman of 
bad character. It originally 
signified a young man. W. her- 
lod, a youth ; cf. Lat. adulter = 
adult. 

Harlotries, youthful pranks, rib- 
aldries, P. 561. 

Harme, harm, evil, misfortune, 
calamity, K. 401, 1871. A.S. 
hearm, Ger. harm; allied to gram. 

Harnays, Harneys, Herneys, 
armor, harness, K. 148, 755, 
1282. Fr. harnais, Ger. harnisch. 
Probably allied to iron, although 
Wedgwood suggests a different 
derivation. It denotes : (1) iron 
armor worn by men; (2) the 
armor worn by horses ; (3) the 
usual equipment of a horse ; 
(4) that which serves the pur- 
pose of equipment. 

Harneysed, equipped, hung by 
straps, P. 114. 

Harpyng, harping, P. 266. A.S. 
/( ea rpe , Ger.hu rfe. Named from 
the manner of playing it with a 
hook to pick the strings. So 
Gr. upTCTj, a hook. 

Harre, a hinge, P. 550. A.S 
heorra. 

Hauberk, a coat of mail, K. 1573. 
See Habergeon. 

Hauke, a hawk, falcon, K. 1346. 
A.S. hafoc, from hebban (p.p. 
hafen), to lift; cf. havoc. 

Haunt, skill, practice, P. 447. Fr. 
hanter, to haunt. 

Hawthorn, hedge-thorn, haw- 
thorn, K. 650. A.S. haga-thorn, 
Ger. hagedom. 

Hede, Heed, head, P. 198, 455i 
551. A.S. heafod, from hebban, 
to raise up. 



278 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Heeld, held, P. 337. A.S. heal- 

dan, pr. heold, ]).p. healden. 
Heep, a large miuiber, a large 
amount, P. 575. A.S. heoj), a 
heap, legion, or company. Still 
so used in Southern States. 
Ger. haufe. 

Hear, hair, P. 589, K. 191. A.S. 
kaer, Ger. haar. 

Heete, to promise, grant, K. 15-10. 
A.S. hatan; of. hest, behest. 

Heetli, the open country, a heath, 
P. 6. A.S. haeth, Ger. heide, 
whence heathen, hoijden = rus- 
tic. 

Heigh, Hem, high, great, K. 207, 
940 ; heigher hand, upper hand, 
superior, P. 398. A.S. heah, 
Ger. hoch. 

Hale, Avell-being, health, K. 413. 
A.S. hael, hale, whole; Ger. heil. 

Hale, to heal, K. 1848. A.S. 
haelan, to heal, to make whole ; 
Ger. heil en. 

Halle, hell, the unseen world, the 
place of punishment, P. 658, K. 
342. A.S. helan, to conceal : 
hence, literally, (1) the place 
where the body is concealed, — 
the grave ; (2) the place where 
the spirit is concealed, — hades ; 
(3) the place of futm'e punish- 
ment. Ger. holle. 

Helmes, helmets, K. 1751. A.S. 
helm, from helan, to hide. 

Helpan (pr. halp, p.p. holpen), to 
help, to cure, when followed by 
of, iP. 18, 632. A.S. helpan. 

Hem, them, P. 11, 18. A.S. him. 

Hamsalf (Hemsalvan), them- 
selves, K. 396. 

Hsng (pr. of honge), hung, P. 160, 
358. A.S. hangan, pr. heng. 

Henna, hence, K. 1498. A.S. 
hinan. 

Hante (n) (pr. hente, p.p. hent), to 
seize,- get, P. 299, (pr.) P. 698, 
K. 442, (p.p.) K. 723. A.S. 
hentan ; cf. to hunt. 

Haraude, Harowd, a herald, K. 
159. O.H.G. haren, to shout. 

Harbergh, a harbor, an inn, P. 
403, 765. A.S. here-beorga, a 
station where an army (here) 



encamps on its march ; beorgan, 
to protect; Ger. herbergen ; cf. 
burgh, borough. 
Hard, haired, K. 1660. 
Harde, a keeper of cattle, P. 603. 
A.S. hgrde, a keeper; cf. shep- 
herd, cow-herd. Wedgwood in- 
geniously derives herd from 
harer, the cry made to set on a 
dog. 

Harda (p.p. of Aear), heard, P. 848. 

Hare, hair, P. 555, K. 530. A.S. 
haer, Ger. haar. 

Here (gen. pi.) of them, their 
[eorum], P. 11, 366; here alter, 
of them all, P. 586. 

Hera (dat. sing.) to this, here 
agat/ns, against this, K. 2281 ; 
her inne, in this, K. 2215. 

Hare, to hear, K. 986. A.S. 
hijran, heran. 

Herinne, in this (company), K. 
2215. Her is dative. 

Harkna, imperat. pi. herkneth, K 
1674, P. 788, K. 985. A.S. 
heorcnian, emphatic form of 
hyran. 

Harnays. See Harnays. 

Hert, a hart, a stag, K. 817, 831. 
A.S. heort, Ger. hirsch. The 
female is called a hind. 

Herte, a heart, P. 150. A.S. 
heorte, Ger. herz, Lat. cor. 

Harte-spon, the navel, K. 1748. 

Hest, command, K. 1674. A.S. 
hatan. 

Hatha (see Heeth), a heath, the 
open country, P. 606. 

Hethenessa, heathen lands, P. 49. 

Have, to heave, lift, P. 550. A.S. 
hebban, pr. hof, p.p. hafen, Ger. 
heben. 

Haw (a), color (hence also) com- 
plexion, P. 394, K. 180; (pi.) 
colors, K. 12-30. A.S. hiw, form, 
color. 

Hewe, to cut, hew, K. 664, 2067. 
A.S. heawan. 

Hider, hither, P. 672. A.S. hider. 

Hidous, hideous, K. 1120. O.Fr. 
hidous. 

Hidously, dreadfully, hideously, 
K. 843. 

Hight, promised, K. 1614. A.S. 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



279 



hatan, to promise. This verb 
and the following are undoubt- 
edly aUied, although in A.S. 
the preterites were formed dif- 
ferently. 

Highte, was called, is called, P. 
616, 719, K. 333, 570. A.S.^ 
heht, pr. of hatan, to call, to be 
called, to name ; Ger. heissen, 
Goth, haitan, pr. haihait. 

Highte, in highte, aloud, on high, 
K. 926. 

Hihe, high, K. 1605. A.S. heah, 
Ger. hoch, holie. 

Him, himself, K. 2192. 

Himselve, Himselven, dat. and 
ace. of himself, P. 184, 528. See 
note. 

Hipes, hips, P. 472. A.S. hype. 

Hire (sing, fem.) her, P. 120. 
A.S. hire (gen. pi.) their, K. 
25. A.S. heora. 

Hit, it, P. 845, K. 604. A.S. hit, 
gen. his. 

Holde (pr. held, p.p. hold, holden), 
to hold in esteem, P. 141, 182, K. 
832, 1861, (p.p.) beholden, held, 
K. 449 ; cf . Ger. behalten, also 
Lat. habere. 

HoUy, wholly, P. 599. 

Holpen, (see Helpen), helped, 
P. 18. 

Holte, a grove, P. 6. A.S. holt, 
Ger. holz. 

Holwe, hollow, gaunt, P. 289. 
A.S. hoi, a hole; Ger. hohl. 

Holy, devoted to sacred purposes, 
P. 17, 479, K. 1355. A.S. halig, 
Ger. heilig. 

Home, Hoom, home, hoom-corning 
= return home, K. 26 ; homward, 
towards home, K. 1881. A.S. 
ham, Ger. heim. 

Hond (s. and pi.), a hand, hands, 
P. 108, K. 1245. A.S. hand. 

Honest, honorable, P. 246. Lat. 
honestus. 

Honestly, honorably, suitably to 
one's station, K. 586. 

Honge (n), (pr. heng), to hang, P. 
676, K. 638. 

Honte (r), a hunter, K. 780, 820. 
A.S. hunta, from hentan, to seize. 



Honte (n), to hunt, K. 782. A.S. 
huntian. 

Honting, hunting, on honting = a- 
hunting, K. 829; cf. a-fishing. 
See note. 

Hood, hat, hood, P. 195, 612. 
A.S. hod, from hyd, a skin, a 
hide ; alluding to the original 
material. Ger. hut. 

Hool (e), whole, P. 533. A.S. hal, 
sound ; cf. wholesome. 

Hoom, home, P. 400, hoom-coming, 
return home, K. 26. 

Hoomly, plainly, homelike, in a 
manner suited to home, P. 328. 

Hoost, a landlord, host, P. 747, 
751. Lat. hospes, one who treats 
another as a guest ; Fr. hote. 

Hoot (e), Hote, hot, P. 687, 394. 
A.S. hat, Ger. heiss. 

Hoote, hotly, passionately, in- 
tensely, P. 97, K. 879. 

Hoppesteres, schippes hoppesteres, 
liostile or opposing ships, K. 
1159. See note. 

Horn, a horn, a wind instrument, 
P. 116, K. 820 ; a drinking horn, 
K. 1421, A.S. horn, Lat. cornu. 

Hors (s. and pi.), a horse, horses, 
P. 74 (pi.) P. 598, K. 1634. A.S. 
hors for Aros, Ger. ross, O.N. 
hross. 

Hose (pi. hosen), stockings, P. 456. 
A.S. Xose, originally denoting 
covering for the legs; Dutch, 
hose = boots. 

Host, an army, K. 16. Lat. hostis, 
an enemy. " The term hostis, 
which primarily signified the 
enemy against whom the expe- 
dition was to be made, was com- 
pendiously used for the military 
service itself. . . . The expres- 
sion would easily pass from mil- 
itary service to the army on 
duty, and thence to any numer- 
ous assemblage." Wedgwood. 

Hosteller, an innkeeper, a hostler, 
P. 241. See Hoost, Fr. hotelier. 

Hostelrie, a hotel, an inn, P. 23, 
722. Fr. hotel, Lat. hospitalis 
(hospes) ; cf. hospital. 

Hote, hot. See Hoote. 



28o 



GL0S8ABIAL INDEX. 



Hote, Hoote, to be called, K. 699. 
See Highte. 

Hounde, a dog, P. 146. A.S. 
hund, Ger. hund, Eng. hound. 

Houres, hours, P. 416. Lat. hoi^a. 

Hous, a house, a religious estab- 
lishment, a monastery, P. 252. 
A.S. hus, Ger. haus, Lat. cosa. 

Housebond, a husband, P. 460. 
A.S. hus, and banda, one inhab- 
iting {buan, to dwell) with the 
idea of mastery ; hence a mar- 
ried man. See note. The word 
retains its original force in hus- 
bandman. 

Househaldere, a householder, 
freeholder, P. 339. 

How, literally, in what (way) 1 
how that = how, P. 506, 642, K. 
587. A form analogous to why. 

Howie, to wail, K. 1959. Ger. 
heulen, Lat. uhdare ; cf. owl. 

Humblesse, humility, K. 923. Fr. 
humblesse, Lat. humilis, from hu- 
mus, the ground. 

Hunte (r), a hunter, P. 178, K. 
1160, 1770. A.S. hunta. 

Hunteresse, a huntress, K. 1489. 

Hurte, to wound, K. 256, 258. 
A.S. hyrt, wounded; cf hurl, 
hurtle. 

Hurtle, to push, to strike, K. 
1758. Frequentative of hirt. 

Husst, hushed, K. 2123. An 
onomatopoetic word ; cf. hist, 
lohist. 

Hyde, to hide, K. 623. A.S. 
hydan. 

Hye, haste ; in hye, in haste, has- 
tily, K. 2121. 

Hye, high, K. 39. 

Hye, to hie, to hasten, K. 1416. 
A.S. higan; cf. higen, diligent, 
from hyge, mind. The word 
would thus seem to denote : (1) 
mental activity ; (2) physical 
activity ; cf. quick, blive [by-live). 

Hyhe, highly, on high, K. 1217. 

Hyndren, to hinder, keep back, 
K. 277. A.S. hindrian, from 
hinder, back ; Ger. hindern. 

Hyndreste, hindermost, P. 622. 
Supl. of hind. 



Hyne, a servant, a hind, P. 603. 

A.S. hina [kigna], a domestic. 
Hynge (pi. pr. oi hongen) , \\\xx\g, 

P. 677. 
Hyre, wages, hire, P. 538. A.S. 

hyr, Ger. heuer. Probably allied 

to hi/ran, to obey, to hear. 



I. 



I, prefix, denotes the past parti- 
ciple. 
I-bete, beaten, hammered, K. 121. 

A.S. beatan. 
I-bore, borne, P. 378. 
I-ehaped, fitted with plates of 

metal, tipped with metal, P. 

366. 
I-clenched, strengthened by 

clinches, P. 1133. 
I-do (n), I-doo, done, ended, 

finished, K. 1676. 
I-faUe, fallen, P. 25. 
I-fetered, fettered, K. 371. 
If, if; if that, if so be that, if, P. 

144, '399, K. 257. A.S. gif, 

Goth, yabai. 
I-go (nj, I-goon, gone, P. 286. 

Now written, ago. 
I-knowe, known, completely 

known, P. 423. 
Iliche, Hike, alike. A.S. gelice. 
Hke, same, P. 64, 175. A.S. ylc. 
In, with reference to, according 

to, K. 2030. 
Inequal, unequal, K. 1413. 
Infinite, Infynyte, unnumbered, 

unmeasured ; hence that which 

cannot be numbered or meas- 
ured, K. 1969. 
Infortune, misfortune, malign 

fortune, K. 1163. 
Iniquite, injustice, wickedness, 

K. 82. Lat. iniquitas = in-equity. 
Inne, an inn, K. 1578. A.S. inne. 
Inne (adv.), within, P. 41, K. 

760. 
Inne, to entertain at an inn ; 

inned, lodged, K. 1334. 
Inough, enough, P. 373. Ger. 

genug, Goth, ganohs, from ganau- 

han, to sujffice. 
I-pynched, plaited, P. 151. Fr. 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



281 



pincer, to pinch. It acquires 

tlie meaning to plait from the 

means employed ; cf. to pink. 
I-proved, proved, proven, P. 485. 
Ire, wrath, ire. Lat. ira. 
Iran, iron, K. 218, 1134. A.S. 

iren, isen, from ar, ore, denoting 

also copper, Lat. aes, Ger. eisen : 

Literally denoting the metal, hence 

iron by way of eminence. 
I-ronne, run, P. 8 ; arranged, K. 

1307. A.S. rinnan, yrnan ; cf. 

eirand. 
I-schadwed, shaded, P. 607. A.S. 

scadiuian, to shade. 
I-schave, shaven, P. 690. A.S. 

scafan. 
I-schrive, shriven, confessed, P. 

226. A.S. scrifan, to ordain, 

enjoin. 
I-shorn, shorn, sheared, P. 589. 

A.S. sceran. 
I-slawe, slain, K. 85. A.S. sla- 

gan, to slay : literally, to strike ; 

cf. Ger. schlagen, to beat ; Eng. 

slaughter. 
I-stored, stocked, stored, P. 609. 
I-styked, pierced, stuck, K. 707. 

A.S. sticcian, from stice, a stab; 

cf. a "stitch in the back." 
I-taught, taught, P. 127. A.S. 

taecan. 
I-write (n), written, P. 161. A.S. 

writan. 
I-wrye, covered, K. 2046. A.S. 

wrihan, to cover. 



J. 



Lat. 



Jaious, jealous, K. 471. 

zelus, ¥r. jaloux. 

Jangler, a great talker, a babbler, 
P. 560. 'Ev. jangler, to lie, jest. 

Jape, a trick, P. 705. O.Fr. gabo^ ; 
cf. gab. 

Jape, to deceive, to befool, K. 
871. See By-jape. 

Jelousye, jealousy, K. 441. Fr. 
jalousie, Lat. zelus. 

Jewels, jewels, K. 2087. Fr. 
jouel,joyau, lja.t. gaudium. Hence 
articles of dress worn to indi- 
cate joy. 



Jolitee, gayety, P. 680. From 
jolli/, Fr. joli ; allied to A.S. gal, 
O.E. yule. 

Journee, a day's journey, K. 
1880. Ft. journee, lusit. diurnus; 
hence, by synecdoche, denoting 
extended travel. 

Jousten, to joust, to engage in a 
tournament, K. 1628. Fr. jous- 
ter, FiUg. jostle. 

Joy (e), joy, K. 170, 1015. Fr. 
joie, Lat. gaudium. 

Jugge, a judge, P. 814, K. 854. 
Fr. juge, Lat. judex. 

Juggement, judgment, P. 778. 
Fr. jugement, Lat. judicamentum. 

Juste, to joust, P. 96. See Jous- 
ten. 

Justes, a tournament, K. 1862. 

Justice, a judge, P. 314. Lat. 
jus ; cf . just, jury, adjudicate. 

Juwyse, judgment, condemna- 
tion, K. 881. Fr. juise, Lat. 
judicium. 

K. 

Kage, a cage, K. 436. Fr. cage, 
Lat. cavea, an enclosure for ani- 
mals, a den. 

Kaytyves, captives, caitiffs, K. 
859. Lat. captivus. See Caytif. 

Keep (e), care, attention, to take, 
keep, to take care, to observe, 
P. 398, K. 531. 

Keepe, Kepe (pr. kepte, p.p. kep), 
to care for, to observe, to guard, 
P. 130, 276. 852. / kepe nat, I 
care not, K. 1380, 2102. A.S. 
cepan. 

Kembe (p.p. kembd), to comb, K. 
1285. A.^.cemban,(jer.kdmmen. 

Kempe, coarse, shaggy, K. 1276. 
See note. 

Kene, sharp, P. 104. A.S. cene, 
Ger. kiihn. 

Kervere, a carver, sculptor, K. 
1041. A.S. ceorfan, to cut. 

Kervyng, carving, sculptured or- 
naments, K. 1057. 

Keverchef, a kerchief, P. 453. 
Fr. couvrir, to cover, chef, the 
head. 



282 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Knarre, a knot, hence a burly 

fellow, P. 549. See note. 
K^narry, knotty, full of guars, 

K. 1119. Ger. knorre. 
Knave, a servant, K. 1870. A.S. 

cnapa, Ger. knabe, a boy. 
Kne, knee, P. 391. A.S. cneow, 

Ger. hue, Lat. genu, Gr. ybvv. 
Knight, a knight, P. 42. A.S. 

cniht, Ger. knecht: (1) a young 

man; (2) a servant; (3) the 

servant of a king ; (4) a person 

engaged in military service. 
Knighthede, knighthood, K. 

1931. 
Knobbes, hard swellings, pim- 
ples, P. 633. A.S. cnaep, a knop, 

a button. 
Knotty, knotty, K. 1119. A.S. 

cnott, from cnyttan, to knit, tie, 

knot. 
Knowe, pp. known, K. 345. 
Knyf, pi. knyfes, a knife, P. 233, 

K. 1141. A.S. cnif, Fr. canif; 

cf. nip. 
Knytte, to knit, K. 270. A.S. 

cnytan, to knit ; cf. to knot, to net. 
Kouthe, known, P. 14. See 

Couthe. 
Kynde, nature, K. 543, 1593. See 

note. A.S. cynd, from cennan, 

to beget. 
Kynde, good-natured, kind, P. 

647. 
Kyng, a king, K. 691. See note. 

A.S. cyninq, from cunnan, to 

know, to be able, cennan, to 

beget. Ger. konig. 
Kynled, kindled, K. 1437 ; cf. 

accendere, allied to cennan. 
Kynrede, kindred, K. 428. A.S. 

ci/n-raeden, cyn, from cunnan, to 

know ; raeden, denotes state, 

&c. ; cf. hatred. 
Kyte, a kyte, a bird of prey, K. 

321. A.S. cyta, W. cud. 

L. 

Laas, a belt, P. 392. Fr. lacs, 

Lat. laqueus. 
Lace, Las, a lace, net, snare, K. 

959, 1093. Lat. laqueus, a snare ; 



hence: (1) a net, (2) what 
binds or fastens; (3) a fabric 
resembling a net ; cf. shoe-lace, 
lasso. 

Lacerte, a muscle, K. 1895. Lat. 
lacertus, a lizard. 

Lad (p.p. ladde), led, brought, 
K. 688, 1762. 

Lady (e), (gen. ladij), lady, mis- 
tress, K. 431 ; lady's, P. 88. A.S. 
hlaef-dige, usually derived from 
hlaf, loaf, and weardige, warden ; 
but this derivation seems doubt- 
ful. 

Lafte (pi. laften, pr. of leve, p.p. 
laft), left, ceased, P. 492, K. 34, 
(p.p.) K. 1158. A.S. laefan. 

Lakke, to lack, P. 756, K. 1422 ; 
cf. slack. 

Langage, language, fair langage, 
flattery, P. 211. 

Lappa, a lap, P. 686. A.S. lappa, 
a lap, border, hem, piece, — the 
original meaning is now ex- 
pressed hy flap ; cf. lapel, lapet, 
flap, flabby. 

Large, freedom, at thi large = at 
large, free, K. 425, 434 ; at his 
large, K. 469. 

Large, free, coarse, P. 734; cf. 
gross. 

Largely, fully, easily, K. 1050, 
1080 ; cf . Lat. large. 

Las. See Lace. 

Lasyng, lacing, fastening with 
laces, K. 1646. See Lace. 

Lat (imperative), let, P. 188; lai 
se, let us see, P. 831, K, 33 ; lai 
be, let it be, cease, P. 840. 

Late, lately, late ycome, lately ar- 
rived, P. 77 ; late ischave, lately 
shaven, P. 690. 

Latoun, a mixed metal resem- 
bling brass, P. 699. Fr. laiion 

Launde, a lawn, an open cleared 
space, K. 833 ; see note. W. 
llan, a clear space. 

Laurer, a laurel, K. 169. Fr. 
laurier, Lat. laurus. 

Lawe, a law, P. 577. From root 
lag ; hence = what is laid down 
or fixed ; cf. Lat. lex (legs) 

Laxatif, a laxative, a purge, K. 



GLOSSASIAL INDEX. 



283 



1898. Lat. lazare ; cf. lack, 

slack. 
Lay, pr. of Lie, q.v. 
Laynere, a thong, K. 1646. Fr. 

laniere ; cf. lanyard. 
Lazar, Lazer, a leper, P. 242,, 

245. A corruption of Lazarus. 
Leche-craft, medical skill, K. 

1887. A.S. leche, a physician. 
Leede, a caldron, P. 202. Irish, 

luchd, a kettle. 
Leaf (pi. leeves, leves), a leaf, K. 

980. Ger. laub. 
Leaf, dear, pleasant, K. 979. A.S. 

leof, from lufian, to love ; Eng. 

lief, " Be him loth or leef." 
Lean, Lena, to give, lend, K. 

2224. A.S. laenan, Ger. leihen ; 

cf. loan. 
Leap (pr, of hap), leaped, K. 1829. 

A.S. hleapan, pr. hleop. 
Leesyng, loss, losing, K. 849. 

A.S. leosan. 
Leet (pr. of let), let, P. 128, 175 

(v. aux.) ; leet crye, caused to 

be cried, K. 1873 ; leet brt/nge, 

caused to be brought, K 2031 ; 

leet comaunde, commanded, K. 

2007. A.S. laetan, pr. let, p.p. 

laeten. 
Leet, left, let be, P. 508. See 

note. 
Laeve, departure, K. 359 ; used 

only in "to take leave." A.S. 

leaf, lefan, to permit, vf\t\\faran, 

to go, understood. 
Leave (def. of leef), dear, K. 278. 
Leeva, to beheve, K. 2230. A.S. 

geleafan ; Ger. glauben. 
Lef (imperative), leave, K. 756. 
Lena, to lend, P. 611. A.S. lae- 
nan, Ger. lehnen. 
Lena, lean, poor, P. 287, 591. 

A.S. hlaene, from hlinian, to 

bend, hence = too poor to stand 

erect. 
Langar (e), longer, P. 330, 821. 

A.S. lang, comp. lengra, supi. 

lengest. 
Lepart, a leopard, K. 1328. 
Lerne (p.p. lernede), to learn, P. 

308, 575. A.S. leornian. 
Lese, to lose, K. 357. A.S. leosan, 



pr. leas, p.p. loren ; cf. forlorn, 
lorn. 

Lessoun, lesson, a passage of 
scripture read in divine service, 
P. 709. Fr. leqon, Lat. lectio, 
from leg ere. 

Lesta, pleasure, delight, P. 132. 
A.S. lyst, lust. 

Laste, Liste, Lust (e), (imper- 
sonal with ace), please, P. 583, 
750, K. 493, 495 ; me liste = it 
pleases me ; him luste = it 
pleased him ; us leste = it 
pleased us. A.S. lystan, to 
please, to be pleased. 

Lest (a), least, K. 263; contr. 
for littlest. 

Lesyngas, lies, leasing, K. 1069. 
A.S. leasung, Goth, laus, empty, 
vain. Allied to less, loose, lose. 

Lete, Latta, to leave, K. 405, see 
note ; letten of, refrain from, leave 
off. A.S. of-laetan, K.459; cf. late. 

Latte, to hinder, K. 31, 1034. 
This word and the preceding 
are from the same root, — late ; 
in one case the slow-moving 
body is left ; in the other it 
hinders one that would other- 
wise go faster. 

Latuaries, electuaries, P. 426 ; 
medicines to be licked up. 

Lave, leave, permission, K. 206. 

Lever (comp. of lief ), rather, him 
was lever have, he would rather 
have, P. 293. 

Lewed, Lewd, unlearned, igno- 
rant, P. 502; see note. A.S. 
leode, people, Ger. leute ; cf. laity, 
lay. 

Leye (p. leyde, p.p. leyd), to lay, P. 
81 ; leye-to, take hold of, begin, 
P. 841. A.S. to-lecgan. 

Leyser, leisure, K. 330. Fr. loisir, 
Lat. licere. 

Licentiat, one licensed to hear 
confession and grant absolu- 
tion, P. 220. Lat. licentiatus. 

Liche-wake, the watch (wake) 
held over a corpse, K. 2100. 
A.S. lie, Ger. leich, a body. 

Licour, liquor, P. 3. Lat. liquor, 
liquere, to flow. 



284 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Lie (pr. lay, p.p. lain), to lie, P. 

20. A.S. licgan, pr. laeg, p.p. 

legen. See Ligge. 
Lif, Lyf, life, K. 1918. A.S. lif, 

from libban, allied to lie, body. 
Ligge, to lie, K. 1347; liggijncj, 

lying, K. 153. A.S. licgan, lig- 

gan. 
Lighte, bright, pleasant, K. 925. 

A.S. lilit, Ger. leicht, Lat. lux, 

Ulcere, to shine. 
Lik, like to, K. 443. From A.S. 

lie, a body. 
Like (impers.), to please, if you 

liketh = if it please you, P. 777 ; 

him likede = it pleased him, K. 

1234. 
Liknesse, similar circumstances 

(coll. noun), K. 1984. 
Lippe, lip, P. 133. A.S. lippa, 

Lat. labium ; cf. lap, flap, — the 

loose part. 
Lipsede, lisped, P. 264. A.S. 

ivlispian, to stammer; Ger. lis- 

peln. 
Liste. See Leste. 
Listes, Lystes, lists, a space en- 
closed for combats, P. 63, K. 

1231, 1687 ; combats in the lists, 

K. 994. Lat. licium, a rope 

which marked the enclosure. 
Litarge, litharge, protoxide of 

lead, P. 629. 
Lite (1), little, P. 438 ; moche and 

lite = great and small ; i.e. high 

and low, P. 494. 
Lite (adv.), little while, K. 476. 
Lith, lieth, lies, K. 360. 
Live (dat. of lif), on lyve, in life, 

ahve, K. 1840. 
Lodemenage, pilotage, P. 403. 

A.S. laedan, to guide, and Fr. 

menage ; cf . loadstar, loadstone. 
Loken, to see, look, K. 925. A.S. 

locian. 
Lokkes, locks of hair, curls, P. 

81. A.S. lyecan, to pluck, hence 

locc, a handful. 
Lokyng, sight, K. 1313. 
Lend, land, P. 14. A.S. land. 
Longe (n), to long for, to desire, 

P. 12. A.S. langian (from lang), 

\o stretch the mind after. 



Longe (n), to belong, K. 1420; 

cf. Ger. belangen. 
Longe (adv.), for a long time, P. 

286. 
Longes, the lungs, K. 1894. A.S. 

lunge. 
Loode, a load K. 2060. A.S. 

hladan, to load. 
Loode-sterre, a loadstar, the 

north star, K. 1201. A.S. laedan, 

to lead ; steorra, from steoran, to 

steer. 
Lord, sir, lord, — a title of honor, 

P. 65. See note on P. 601. 
Lordschipe, the authority or rank 

of lord, K. 969. A.S. hlaford- 

scipe. 
Lordynges, lordlings, sirs, P. 761. 

Ing is the A.S. diminutive and 

patronymic termination. 
Lore, doctrine, learning, P. 527. 

A.S. lar. 
Los, loss, K. 1685. A.S. los. 
Losten (pi. pr. of leese), lost. 
Loth, disagreeable, unpleasant, 

P. 486, K. 979. A.S. lath; cf. 

loathe. 
Love, lover, K. 1448 : a common 

synecdoche. 
Love-day e, days for arbitration, 

law-days, P. 258. 
Lovyere, lover, P. SO: y from i. 

A.S. iufian, to love. 
Lowde, loudly, P. 714. A.S. 

hlude, Ger. laut. 
Lowe (adj. and adv.), low, K. 253 ; 

O.E. lowe, law, lagh, which con- 
nects with A.S. licgan, to lie; 

Ger. liegen. 
Luce, a pike, P. 350. 
Lust, pleasure, P. 192, K. 392. 

A.S. lust. 
Lust (e), pleased, pleaseth, may 

please, P. 102, K. 493, 495. 
Lusty, vigorous, handsome, pleas- 
ant, ardent, P. 80, K. 1253, 

1258. 
Lustynesse, pleasure, what occa- 
sions pleasure, K. 1081. 
Lye, destruction, K. 2157. A.S. 

leg, laeg. 
Lye, to lie, P. 659. A.S. leogan, 

Goth, liugan, Ger. liigen. 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



285 



Lyf, Ufe, P. 71. A.S. lif, from 

A.S. libhan, Ger. leben. 
Lyfly, life-Uke, K. 1229 ; cf . liveLjj, 

== quick ; i.e. living. 
Lymes, limbs, K. 1277. A.S. lim. 
Lymytour, a friar authorized to 

ask alms within certain limits, 

P. 209. 
Lynage, Lyne, lineage, line of 

descent, K. 252, 693. Fr. lig- 

naye, Lat. linea, a line. 
Lynd, a linden-tree, bass-wood, 

K. 2064. A.S. lind. 
Lystes. See Listes. 
Lyte, little, K. 335 ; not, K. 865 ; 

cf. Lat. minus, minime. A.S. lijt, 

lytel. 
Lyve. See Live. 
Lyvere, livery, P. 368. See note. 
Lyves, alive, living, K. 1537 ; a 

gen. used adverbially. 



M. 

Maad, Mad, p.p. made, P. 394, 
668, K. 747, maked. 

Maat, dejected, K. 97. Fr. mat, 
Ger. matt, feeble ; cf. check- 
mate = shah mat ; i.e. the king is 
dead. 

Mace, a club, K. 1266, 1701. Fr. 
masse. 

Mad, stricken out of one's senses, 
insane, K. 1484. A.S. ge-maed, 
troubled in mind ; cf. mod, mind. 

Madame, madam, P. 121. Fr. 
from Lat. mea domina. 

Maist, mayest, K. 385. 

Maister, Mayster (pi. maystres), 
master, chief or head (of a re- 
ligious house), P. 261, 576. Lat. 
maqistei' from marjnus, as minis- 
ter from minus. 

Maister (adj.), principal, maister 
streete, the main street, K. 2044. 

Maistow, mayest thou, K. 378. 

Maistrie, skill, superiority, mas- 
terij ; for the maistrie = above 
all others, P. 165. 

Make, a mate, K. 1698. A.S. 
maca, a mate, one of the same 
make; cf. match. 



Make, to write poetry, P. 325; 

cf. Gr. TTocelv. 
Maked (p.p.), made, K. 1666. 
Maladye, malady, P. 419. Lat. 

inale-aptus, ill-fitted. 
Male, a bag, portmanteau, P. 

694. Fr. malle; cf. mail, Gael. 

mala, a bag. 
Manace, a menace, threat, K. 

1145. Lat. minaciae. 
ManasyTig, threatening, K. 1177. 
Mancioun, a mansion, K. 1116. 

Lat. mansio, from nianere; cf. 

manse. 
Maner (e), sort, kind, manner, 

P. 71, 140, 858, K. 1017 ; maner 

wight = sort of person ; Fr. ma- 

niere, Lat. manus : literally, a 

handling, the way in which a 

matter is handled. 
Manhede, manhood, P. 756. 
Mankynd, mankind, the family 

[kin] of man, K. 449. A.S. 

man-cyn. 
Manly, vigorous, masculine, 

brave, P. 167, K. 129 ; man-like. 
Mantel, a mantle, P. 378. A.S. 

mentel, Lat. mantelum. Literally 

a hand-cloth ; hence a garment 

covering the hands. 
Mantelet, a short mantle, K. 

1305. 
Manye, mania, K. 517. Lat. 

mania. 
Many con, many a one, P. 317 ; 

many a, P. 168. See note. 
Marbel, marble, K. 1035. Fr. 

marhre, Lat. marmor. 
Marehaunt, a merchant, P. 270. 

Fr. marchant, Lat. mercxiri, to 

trade. 
Marche, March (the month), P. 2. 

From Mars. 
Mariage, marriage, P. 212. Fr. 

marier, Lat. 77ias, a male. 
Marschal, marshal, one whose 

duty it is to assign places ; 

marschal in an halle, marshal of 

the hall, P. 752. O.Ger. marah- 

scalc (= horse servant), master 

of the horse ; cf. mare. 
Martirdam, martyrdom, death by 

torture, K. 602. 



286 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Martyr, a martyr, P. 770. Liter- 
ally, a witness. 

Martyre, to torture, K. 704. 

Mary-bones, marrow-bones, P. 
380. A.S. mearg. 

Matere, Mateere, matter, P. 
727, K. 401. Lat. materia. 

Matrimoyn, matrimony, K. 2237. 
Lat. matrimonium, mother-hood. 

Maugre, Mawgre, in spite of, K. 
311, 749, 1760. Fr. mat gre, 
Lat. male gratum. 

Maunciple, an ofl&cer who had 
the charge of purchasing vict- 
uals for an Inn of Court, P. 544. 
Lat. manceps, the superintend- 
ent of a bake-house, — a baker. 

May, can, to be able, P. 230, K. 
415, 966. A.S. magan, to be 
able ; cf . might, mighty ; also 
Lat. magnus. 

Mayde, maid, P. 69 ; see note. 
A.S. maegdh, Ger. magd, Goth. 
magus, a boy ; cf. Gael. mac. 

Maydenhode, maidenhood, K. 
1471. 

Mayne, servants, K. 400. O.Pr. 
me.snee, Lat. minores natu. 

Maynteyne, to persist in, main- 
tain, K. 920. Fr. maintenir, 
Lat. manu-tenere. 

Made, a meadow, mead, P. 89. 
A.S. maed, originally wet land, 
that being especially adapted to 
grass ; cf. mud, Lat. madeo. 

Medle, motley, a mixed color, P. 
328. O.Fr. medler, Fr. meter, to 
mix ; cf. meddle. 

Meede, reward, meed, P. 770, 
A.S. 7ned, hire, Ger. miethe. 

Mete (adv.), becomingly, suit- 
ably, K. 1433. A.S. gemet; cf. 
convenient. 

Meke, meek, P. 69. Goth, muks, 
mild, soft. 

Mellere, a miller, P. 542 ; cf. meal. 

Memorye, honor, honorable men- 
tion, K. 1048, Lat. memorare, 
to make honorable mention ; cf. 
coinmemorate. 

Men, one, P. 149, 232, K. 558. 
An indefinite pronoun ; cf Ger. 
man, Fr. on. 



Mencioun, mention^ K. 1077. Fr. 

mention, Lat. mentio, mens. 
Mene (pr. mente), to intend, wish, 

say, mean, P. 793, K. 815. A.S. 

maenan, to tell, to have in mind ; 

cf Lat. me7is. 
Mercenarie, a hireling, P. 514. 

Lat. merces, wages. 
Mercy, pity, K. 60. Fr. merci, 

Lat. misericordia. 
Mere, a mare, P. 541. A.S. maere. 
Merie, Mery (e), Murye, mirth- 
ful, joyful, P. 208, 757, K. 641. 

A.S. myrig, from myrhth. 
Meriely, pleasantly, mirthfully, 

P. 714. 
Mesehaunce, misfortune, mis- 
chance, K. 1151. 
Mescheef, Mesehief, misfortune, 

P. 493, K. 468. Fr. meschef, 

minus-chef, what turns out ill. 
Mester, a trade, occupation, P. 

613, see note ; hence also kind : 

mester men, sort of men, K. 852. 
Mesurable, moderate, P. 435. Fr. 

mesure, Lat. metiri. 
Mete, food, P. 127, 136. A.S. 

mete, food, Goth. mats. 
Mete, fit, K. 773. A.S. gemet, 

metan, to meet ; cf. convenient, 

from con-venire ; also "help meet 

for him." 
Mete, to meet, K. 666. A.S. 

metan, to meet, mot, an assem- 

bly. 
Meth, mead, a drink made of 

honey, K. 1421. A.S. medu, 

Goth, milith, honey. 
Mewe, a coop, an enclosure, P. 

349. Literally a cage for hawks 

while mewing or moulting (Lat. 

mutare), hence, as a verb, to 

mew = to confine. 
Might, power, victory, K. 998. 

A.S. magan, to be able. 
Might (pr. of may), could, was 

able, P. 632. 
Mighty, strong, large, P. 108, K. 

565. A.S. mihtiq, Ger. mdchtig. 
Miracle, a wonder, wonderful 

deed, K. 930. Lat. miraculum, 

from mirari, to wonder at. 
Mirthe, Myrthe, amusement^ 



GLOSSABIAL INDEX. 



287 



pleasure, P. 766 ; a mirthe, a 

game, P. 767. A.S. myrth. 
Misbede (p.p. misboden), to mal- 
treat, insult, K. 51. A.S. viis- 

heodan. 
Mo (o), more, P. 101, 544. A.S. 

ma ; cf. Lat. ma-gnus, ma-jor. 
Moche, much, P. 211 ; ful moche, 

very much, P. 132. A.S. mycel. 
Mochel, greatly, much, P. 258, 

K. 1992. A.S. mycel, Scotch, 

mickle. 
Moevere, a mover, cause, K. 

2129. Lat. movere. 
Mone, moon, P. 403. A.S. mona, 

Ger. mond, Goth, mena, Gr. 

^TjVTJ. 

Moneth (pi. monthes), a month, P. 

92, 704. The space of time 

measured by a revolution of 

the moon. A.S. monath, Ger. 

monat, Fr. mois. 
Moneye, money, P. 703. See 

note. 
Mortk, a monk, P. 165 ; literally 

one who dwells alone. Lat. 

vionachas. 
Mood, anger, K. 902. A.S. mod, 

mind, passion ; cf. Gr. dvixog, 

also moody. 
Moone, moan, lamentation, K. 

508. A.S. maenan. 
Moot (pi. inote, pr. moste, muste), 

may, must, ought, P. 232, 732, 

735, 742. A.S. pres. sing. 1, 3, 

mot; 2, most: pi. moton, pr. moste. 
Moral, correct in manner, P. 307. 

Lat. mos. 
More, greater (in rank), lesse and 

more, high and low, K. 898. See 

note. 
More, delay, K. 1945. Scotch, 

with outyn mar, Bruce iii. 793. 
Mormal, a cancer, P. 386. Fr. 

inort-maJ. 
Morne-milk, morning milk, P. 

358. 
Morsel, a bit, P. 128. Lat. morsus, 

from mordere, to bite ; cf. hit. 
Mortal, deadly, fatal, occasioning 

great loss of life, P. 61, K. 732 ; 

cf. mortal enemy. Lat. mortalis, 

mors. 



Morthre, murder, K. 398. A.S. 

morther, morth, death ; cf. Lat. 

mors. 
Mortreux, a kind of broth or 

soup, tiiortreices, P. 384. So 

named from a mortar in which 

the ingredients were brayed. 
Morwe, morrow, morning, P. 334. 

A.S. morgen ; (if . good morrow. 
Morwenynge, morning, K. 204 ; 

lengthened form of morwe. 
Mosel, a muzzle, K, 1293. Fr. 

maseau. 
Most (e), greatest, K. 37, 1340 ; 

a leader, P. 561. A.S. maest. 
Mot (e). See Moot. 
Motteleye, motley, stuff of mixed 

colors, P. 271 ; see medl^, W. 

mud-liw. 
Mountaunce, amount, K. 712. 

Fr. monter, to go up ; Lat. mons, 

a mountain. 
Mowe, can. be able, K. 2141. 

A.S. magan. 
Mows, a mouse, K. 403. A.S. 

mus, pi. mys, Lat. mus, Ger. 

mans, Gr. iiv^. 
Murmure, murmuring, K. IGOl. 

A representation of an indis- 
tinct sound ; cf. Gr. jSupjSapoc;. 
Murtheryng, murdering, K. 1143. 

A.S. morth, Lat. mors. 
Murye, merry, K. 528. A.S. 

myrig. 
Myle, a mile, K. 646. A.S. mil, 

Lat. mille, a thousand (paces). 
Myn (gen. of /), of me, P. 782, 

K. 423. 
Mynde, mind, remembrance, K. 

544, 1048; cf. remind. A.S. 

mynan, to remember. 
Mynour, a miner, K. 1607. Gael. 

meinn, ore, a mine. 
Mynstralcye, minstrelsy, K. 1339. 

O.Fr. menestrel, a workman ; 

Lat. ministeriiim, service. 
Myre, mire, land so wet as to be 

impassable, P. 508 ; cf. inoor, 

morass. Ger. moor, A.S. mere, a 

pool, lake. 
Myrour, a mirror, K. 541. Fr. 

miroir, Lat. mirari, to view^ to 

admire. 



288 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Myscarie, to misbehave, do amiss, 
P. 513 ; mis, negative, carry, to 
demean one's self ; cf . deport- 
ment. 

Myselven, myself, for myself, P. 
803. Properly used only in the 
oblique cases. 

Myshappe, to go ill with, to mis- 
hap, K. 788. From mis and hap. 

Myster, mode of life, occupation 
(need), K. 482. O.Fr. mestier, 
from Lat. jninisterium; Fr. metier. 

Myte, a mite, K. 700. A.S. mite, 
any thing small ; cf . 7note. 

N. 

Nacioun, a nation, P. 53. Lat. 

natio, from nasci, to be born ; 

cf. A.S. kin, from cehnan, to 

beget. 
Naker, a kettle-drum, K. 1653. 
Nam = ne am, am not, K. 264. 
Namely, Namelyche, especially, 

above all, K. 410, 817, 1851, 

2186. A.S. nemlic. 
Narwe, narrow, close-shut, P. 

625. A.S. nearwa, from neah, 

near. 
Nas = ne was, was not, P. 251, 

550 ; nas not, was not, P. 428. 
Nat, not, P. 177, 366. A.S. na- 

wiht, nat. 
Nath = ne hath, hath not, K. 65. 
Natheles, nevertheless, none the 

less, P. 35, K. 974. A.S. na- 

the-less ; cf . Lat. nihilominus. 
Ne, not, P. 70; nor, P. 179; ne 

. . . ne, neither . . . nor ; ne . . . 

but, only, P. 120. 
Neede, needful, P. 304. A.S. 

neade, Ger. noth. 
Needes, Nedes, of necessity, 

needs, K. 311, 2170. A.S. neades, 

gen. of nead. 
Needes-cost, necessarily, K. 619. 

See note. 
Needeth (impers.), needs; what 

needeth, what is the need of, P. 

849. A.S. nead inn, to compel : 

ne-ead, not-happiness. 
Near, near, K. 581 ; nearer, fer 

ne neer, more or less, K. 992. 



Neet, cattle, P. 597. A.S. nyt, 
neat, a beast ; by way of emi- 
nence, cattle ; cf. neat leather. 

Neigh, Neyh, nigh, wel ney'h, 
nearly, K. 472 ; as neigh as, as 
close as, P. 588. A.S. neah. 

Neighebour, a neighbor, P. 535. 
A.S. neah gebur, near-dweller. 

Nekke, neck, P. 238, K. 360. A.S. 
hnecca. 

Ner, Nerre, Near, nearer, P. 
838, K. 110, 992 ; comp. of near. 

Nercotykas, narcotics, K. 614. 

Nare = ne were, were not, K. 17. 

Nawe, recently, newly, P. 365, 
428. A.S. niwe, Ger. neu, Lat. 
novus, Fr. neiif, Gr. viog. 

Naxte, nearest, K. 555. Supl. of 
near; A.S. neah; supl. nyhst, 
next. 

Night, a night, nights, P. 23. 
A.S. niht, Goth, nahts, Ger. 
nacht, Lat. nox, Gr. vv^, W. nos. 

Nightertala, night-time, P. 97. 
A.S. niht and tal, a reckon- 
ing. 

Nobla, well-known, famous, illus- 
trious, splendid, P. 60, 496, 708, 
K. 1027. Lat. nohilis (for gno- 
bilis), that which is well known ; 
bence (1) conspicuous or illus- 
trious ; (2) possessed of quali- 
ties calculated to render one 
illustrious. 

Noght, not, P. 253, 648. A.S. 
ne-aht. 

Nolda = ne wolde, would not, P. 
550, K. 45. 

Nombre, number, P. 716. Fr. 
nombre, Lat. numerus. 

Nomoo, no more, P. 101. A.S. 
ma. 

Non, Noon, no one; (pi.) no, 
none, P. 178, 210, 594, K. 1038. 

Nonas, for the nones, for the occa- 
sion, P. 379. See note, P. 523. 

Norma, a nun, P. 118. Lat. non- 
nus, nonna, a monk, a nun. 
Literally, grandfather, grand- 
mother : cf. pope ; i.e., papa, 
father. 

Noot, Not = ne wot, know not, 
P. 284, K. 181, 482. 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



289 



Noote, a note, P. 235. Lat. notus 

{gnotus), a mark by which any 

thmg raay be known. 
Norisching, Norisseliynge, nur- 
ture, P. 437, K. 2159. Fr. 

nourrir ; cf . nurse. 
Nose-tliurles, nostrils, P. 557. 

See note. A.S. thyrel, a hole, 

from thi/rlian, to pierce; cf. 

thrill, trill, drill, through, thorough. 
Not = ne wot, knows not, K. 405. 
Not but, only, K. 1864; O.E. 

nohbut. 
Not heed, a head with close-cut 

hair, P. 109. 
Nother = ne other, neither, nor, 

K. 88, 513. 
Nothing (adv.), in no respect, K. 

661. 
Nought, not, P. 74, 107. A.S. 

naht, ne-a-wiht. 
Nouthe, as nouthe, just now, at 

present, P. 462. 
Nyce, soft, fooUsh, P. 398. See 

note. Fr. nice, or A.S. linesc. 
Nys = ne . . . is, is not, there is 

no, K. 43. 

o. 

O, GO, one, P. 253, K. 354. Ab- 
breviated from one. 
Oath, Oth (e), an oath, P. 120, 

810. A.S. ath from a (aye, 

ever) ; cf. ae, a law. 
Obedient, submissive to proper 

authority, wilhng, P. 851. Lat. 

obediens (ob-audiens). 
Obeissaunce, obedience, K. 2116. 

Fr. obeissance, Lat. obedire. 
Observaunce, religious rites, K. 

187, 1406. Lat. observantia. 
Of, concerning, in regard to, P. 

177, 401 ; of is also the regular 

sign of the genitive case ; oflf, P. 

782, K. 1818 ; out of, K. 1665 ; 

by, K. 2119. 
Oflfende, to injure, attack, K. 51, 

1536. Lat. offendere. 
Offensioun, damage, K. 1558. 
Offertorie, a portion of scripture 

said or sung while the alms is 

being collected, P. 710. 



Office, a position involving duties, 
particularly of a public charac- 
ter, P. 292 ; fel in office, entered 
service, K. 560. Lat. officium. 

OflEryng, an offertory service, P. 
450 ; alms, P. 489. 

Ofte sithe (s), oftentimes, P. 
485, K. 1019. A.S. sith, time. 

Ofte tymes, many times, often- 
times, K. 454. 

Oghte, ought, P. 660. A.S. agan. 

Ok, Ook, an oak, K. 844, 1432. 
A.S. ac, whicli form is stiU pre- 
served in acorn = oak-corn. 

Old (e), old, P. 175. A.S. aid, 
Ger. alt, Goth, altheis, from alan, 
to nourish ; cf. Lat. alere. 

On, 00 (n), one, P. 148, et passim; 
on and oon, one by one, each by 
itself, P. 679. A.S. an, Lat 
tinus. 

On, against, P. 594. A.S. on, 
Lat. in. 

Ony, any, P. 552. A.S. anig. 

Oones, once, at oones, at once, P. 
765. A.S. anes. 

Oonly, only, K. 515, 731. A.S 
anlic. 

Oype, opium, K. 614. Gr. ottoc, 
juice of a plant. 

Opynyoun, opinion, doctrine, P. 
337. Lat. opinio. 

Or, ere, P. 255, K. 771 ; or that, 
before that, P. 36 ; cf. Lat. antea, 
or ever, ere, ever, or . . . or, 
either ... or, K. 627. 

Oratorye, a place for prayer, a 
small chapel, K. 1047. Lat. 
oratorium. 

Ordeyne, to ordain, K. 1695. 

Ordres (sing, order), orders, P. 
210. Fr. ordre, Lat, ordo. 

Ord3niaunce, a public order, K. 
1709. 

Orisoun, a prayer, K. 1514. Fr. 
oraison, Lat. oratio. 

Oth, an oath, P. 810. A.S. ath. 

Other, either, K. 735 ; other . . . 
or, either ... or. A.S. othihe. 

Othre (pi. of other), othre thinqes, 
other things, P. 759. A.S. other, 
pi. othre. 

Ought, aught, P. 389. A.S. aht. 



19 



290 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Ought (e) (pr. of owe), ought, P. 

605. See note. 
Oure (gen. pi. of we), of us, our, 

P. 695, 813, oure altlier, of us all, 

P. 823. 
Duthees, outcry, K. 1154. Mid. 

Lat. hutesium, Fr. huer, to shout. 
Outrage, excess, K. 1154. Lat. 

ultra. 
Outrydere, one who rides well 

up with the hounds in hunting, 

P. 166. 
Over, upper, over lippe, upper lip, 

P. 133. A.S. ofer. 
Overal, everywhere, P. 216, K. 

349 ; above all, chiefly, P. 249 ; 

besides, K. 1992. Ger. uberal. 
Overeste (supl. of over), upper- 
most, P. 290. 
Over-ryden (p.p. ridden over), K. 

1164. 
Overspradde (pr,), overspread, 

P, 678. A.S. spraedan. 
Overthwart, across, K. 1133. 

A.S. ihweor, crooked ; cf. queer, 

Ger. quer, athwart. 
Owen, Owne, own, P. 336, 804, 

K. 2219. A.S. a^en, from agan, 

to possess. 
Owher, anywhere, P. 653. A.S. 

ohwaer. 
Oxenford, Oxford, — the ford of 

the river Ouse, P. 285. See 

note. 
Oynement, ointment, P. 631. 

Lat. unguentum. 
Oynouns, onions, P. 634. Fr. 

oignon, Lat. unio, A.S. yneleac. 

P. 

Paas, a footpace, P. 525 ; paces, 

steps, K. 1032 ; a paas, at a pace, 

hastily, apace, K. 1359. 
Pace, to pass, P. 175, K, 2140 ; to 

pass on, proceed, P. 36, K. 744 ; 

to surpass, P. 574. Fr. passer. 
Pacient, a patient, P. 415, (adj.) 

patient, P. 484. Lat. patiens. 
Page, a servant, especially a 

youth, K. 569. Fr. page, Gr. 

TTaidiov. 
Paire, a pair, a set, P. 473. Lat. 



par, equal, hence denoting any 
thing divided into equal parts. 

Pale, pallid, pale, P. 205. Lat. 
pallidus. 

Paleys, a palace, K. 1341. See 
note. 

Palfray, a saddle-horse, P. 207. 
Fr. palefroi. Mid. Lat. veredus ; 
cf. Ger. pferd. 

Palmer, one who has made a pil- 
grimage to the Holy Land, and 
who wears a palm branch as a 
token, P. 13. 

Pan, the skull, the head, K. 307. 
A.S. panne, applied to the skull 
as holding the brain. 

Paradys, paradise, K. 379. 

Paramentz, ornamental furni- 
ture or clothing, K. 1643. Lat. 
parare; cf. apparel. 

Paramour, gallantry, a lover, K. 
1254, (adv.) with love, K. 297. 
Fr. par amour. 

Parchaunce, perhaps, P. 475 ; cf. 
par cas. 

Parde, an oath, P. 563, K. 454. 
Fr. par Dieu. 

Pardoner, a seller of indulgences, 
P. 669. 

Pardoun, a pardon, an indulgence, 
P. 687, — the Latin equivalent 
of forgiveness. 

ParfigM, perfect, P. 422. Fr. 
parfait, Lat. perfectus. 

Parischen, a parishioner, P. 482. 
Fr. paroissien. 

Parlement : ( 1 ) a meeting for con- 
sultation, K. 2113 ; (2) the de- 
crees of such a meeting, K. 448. 
Fr. parlement. 

Part. See Partye. 

Parte, a party, company, K. 1724. 
Fr. parti, Lat. pars. ' 

Partrich, a partridge, P. 349. Fr. 
perdrix. 

Party, partly, K. 195. Fr. en par- 
tie. 

Partye, Part, a party, K. 1588, 
1799 ; part, K. 2150. 

Parvys, a portico before a church, 
P. 310. See note. 

Passant, Passyng, surpassing, K. 
1249, 2027. Fr. passant. 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



291 



Passe, to surpass, P. 448, K. 2231. 

Patent, an open letter giving 
public notice of some grant, as 
of nobility, P. 315. LiSit. patens. 

Paye, to pay, P. 539. Lat. pacare, 
to satisfy. 

Payen, pagan, K. 1512. Fr, paien, 
Lat. paganus, a villager. 

Payne, torture, K. 275. A.S. pin. 

Peire, Peyre, a pair, a set, P. 159. 
Lat. pai-, hence: (1) two tilings 
equal to each other ; (2) a num- 
ber of equal things. Pei/re plates, 
plates for breast and back, K. 
1263. 

Penaunce, penance, P. 223; Lat. 
poenitentia : pain, K. 457 ; Lat. 
poena; cf. Gr. (povog. 

Peples, people, K. 1655. Fr. peu- 
ple, Lat. populus. 

Perce, to pierce, P. 2. Fr. percer ; 
cf. perk, prick. 

Perfight, Perfyt, perfect, P. 72, 
338. Fr. parfait, Lat. perfectus. 

Perles, pearls, K. 1303. A.S. 
pearl. 

Perrye, jewelry, precious stones, 
K. 2078. Fr. perre, from pierre, 
a stone ; Lat. petra. 

Pers, cloth of a bluish-gray color, 
P. 617. 

Persoun, a parson, P. 478 ; see 
note, P. 702. 

Pertourben, to disturb, K. 48. 
Lat. perturbare. 

Peyne, pain, grief, K.439. A.S. 
pin, Ger. pein, Lat. poena. 

Peyne, to take pains, to endeavor, 
P. 139. Fr. peiner. 

Peynte, to paint, K. 1076. Fr. 
peindre, Lat. pingere. 

Philosofre, a philosopher, an al- 
chemist, P. 297. 

Phisik, medicine, P. 433. Gr. 
(pvaiKoc, natural, — a singular 
satire. 

Pighte, pitched, thrown head-first, 
K. 1831. Pitch and pick are 
different forms of the same 
word. 

Pikepurs, a pick-pocket, K. 1140. 

Piled, stripped of hair, bald, P. 
627 ; see pulle. Fr. pel^, a bald- 
head ; cf. pillage. 



PUer, a pillar, K. 1135. A.S. pil, 

a stake, a pile, JjSit.pila. 
Pilgrimage, a journey to foreign 

lands, especially for religious 

purposes, a pilgrimage, P. 13. 

Lat. peregrinus, Fr. pelerinage. 
Pilour, a plunderer, a pillager, K. 

149. Fr. pillet', to rob. 
Pilwe-beer, a pillow-case, P. 694. 

Low Ger. beere, a pillow-case. 
Pine, to pine away ; forpyned, 

pined away, P. 205. A.S. pin, 

pain. 
Pitance, an allowance of appetiz- 
ing food, to be eaten with bread, 

hence a small portion, P. 224. 

Fr. pitance. 
Pite (e), pity, K. 62, 893. O.Fr. 

pite', Lat. pietas. 
Pitous, compassionate, piteous, 

pious, K. 1437. 
Pitously, piteously, piously. 
Place, residence, P. 607 ; an open 

field, K. 1541. Fr. place, Ger. 

platz. 
Plat, plain, K. 987. Fr. plat, Ger. 

platt. 
Playen. See Pleye. 
Playn, clear, plain, P. 790. Lat. 

planus, level. 
Playnen, to complain, K. 393. 

Fr. plaindre, Lat. plangere. 
Plentyvous, plentiful, P. 344. 
Plesant, Plesaunt, pleasant, P. 

138. Fr. plaisant, pleasing. 
Plesaunce, pleasure, K. 713. 
Plese, to please, P. 610. Fr. 

plaire, Lat. placere. 
Pley (e), play, pleasure, K. 267. 

A.S. plega. 
Pleye (n), Playen, to play, to 

make sport, P. 236, 257. A.S. 

plegian. 
Pleyn, full, plenary, P. 315. Lat. 

plenus. ■ 
Pleyn (adv.), plainly, P. 727. 

Lat. plane. 
Plejrne, to plead, P. 327 ; to com- 
plain, K. 462. Fr. plaindre, to 

complain. 
Pleynly, fully, K. 875. Lat. ple- 
num. 
Pleyynge, amusement, out-door 

exercise, K. 203. 



292 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Pocok, peacock, P. 104. A.S. 
pawa, Ger. pfau, Lat. pavo. 

Point, gist of the matter, P. 790. 
Lat. punctum, a prick : hence 
(1) that which pricks; (2) the 
mark made by a sharp instru- 
ment ; (3) any small space or 
time ; (4) the ])oint towards 
which discourse aims. 

Pollax, an axe fitted to a handle, 
K. 1687. A.S. pol, a handle, 
"an axe for knocking one on 
the poll or head."" Wedgwood. 

Pomel, top of the head, K. 1831. 
O.Fr. pommel, Lat. pomum, an 
apple ; hence any thing shaped 
like an apple. 

Pomely, dappled, pomeh^ 9^'<^y, 
dappled gray, P. 616. Fr. pom- 
me, an apple ; spotted like an 
apple. 

Pompe, reverential manner, P. 
525. Gr. TTOfiivr), a solemn pro- 
cession, hence a stately man- 
ner. 

PoraiUe, the poor, P. 247. Fr. 

Pore, poor. Fr. pancre, Lat. pau- 
per. 

Port, demeanor, carriage, P. 69, 
138. Yv. porter, Lat. portare; cf. 
deportment. 

Portraiture, a painting, pictures, 
K. 1110 Fr. pourtraire. 

Portraying, painting, K. 1080. 

Portreyour, a painter, K. 1041. 
Fr. portraire; cf portrait. 

Pose, to suppose, to put a case, 
K. 304. Fr. apposer. 

Post, a support, a pillar, P. 214 ; 
see note. Lat. positus. 

Pouche, a pocket, P. 368. See 
note. 

Poudre-marchant, a sharp sea- 
soning powder, P. 381. 

Poure, poor, P. 225. Fr. pauvre, 
Lat. pauper. 

Povrely, humbly, like a poor 
man, K. 696. 

Power, ability, authority ; poiver 
of, authority to grant, P. 218. 
Fr. pouvoir. 

Powre, to pore, P. 185 ; allied to 
hare. 



Poynaunt, pungent, highly sea- 
soned, P. 352. Fr. poignant, 
Lat. pungens. 

Poynt, the smallest particle, K. 
1908 ; the gist of a matter un- 
der discussion, K. 2113. See 
Point. 

Practisour, a practitioner, P. 422. 

Praye, to pray, P. 743 ; to pray 
for, K. 404. Fr. prier, Lat. 
precari. 

Preche, to preach, P. 481. Fr. 
precher, Lat. pretlicare. 

Preest, a priest, P. 164, an abbre- 
viation of presbyter. 

Prelat, a prelate, a superior clergy- 
man, P. 204. Fr. prelat, Lat. 
preferre. 

Prescience, foreknowledge, K. 
455. Lat. pre-scientia. 

Prase, to press, K. 1672. Lat. 
premere, pressum. 

Preve, to prove, P. 547. Lat. 
probare. 

Preye, to pray, K. 625. See 
Praye. 

Preyeres, prayers, P. 231. Fr. 
prier, Lat. precari. 

Pricasour, a hard rider, P. 189 ; 
literally, a spurrer. 

Prike, to incite, P. 11, K. 185 ; to 
ride horseback, K. 1820. A.S. 
priccian, to prick, to spur. 

Prikke, a stab, a prick, K. 1748. 

Prikyng, riding horseback, P. 
191. Prick, a spur. 

Prime, six o'clock, a. m., the first 
quarter of the artificial day, K. 
1331. JjRt. prima hora. 

Prioresse, the Lady Superior of a 
convent, P. 118. Lat. pi-ior. 

Pris, Prys, praise, prize, honor, 
P. 67, 237 ; price, P. 815 ; prize 
(in arms), victory, K. 1383 ; 
Ger. preisen, to esteem. Lat. 
pretium ; cf. praise, prize, price. 

Prisoun, confinement, imprison- 
ment, K. 165, 237, 438. Fr. 
prison, Lat. prehensio. 

Prively, privately, P. 609 ; secret- 
ly, P. 652. Lat. privus. 

Processe, progress, K. 2109. Lat 
process U6. 



QLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



293 



Properly, according to the pecu- 
liarities of each, P. 729. Lat. 
proprie. 

Propre, peculiar one's own; propre 
good, private property, P. 581. 
See note. 

Proude, valiant, K. 1740. A.S. 
prut: (1) vigorous, handsome; 
(2) feeling begotten by the con- 
sciousness of possessing such 
qualities. 

Prys, prize, P. 67, 815. See Pris. 

Pryve, secret, K. 1602. Lat. 
privus. 

Pryvyte, secret purpose, privity, 
K. 553. Lat. privatus. 

Pulle, to pluck, to pulle a finch, to 
pluck a finch, to cheat a green- 
horn, P. 652 ; pulled, plucked, 
plundered, and so poor, a pulled 
hen, a worthless hen, P. 177. 
Fr. pillei', to rob; cf. peeled. 

Pultrie, poultry, P. 598. Fr. 
jionle, Lat. pulliis. 

Punyssched, punished, P. 657. 
Lat. punitus. 

Purchas, receipts from alms, P. 
256 ; any thing acquired by 
effort. Fr. pour-chasser , to hunt 
after. 

Ptirchasyng, prosecution, P. 320. 
See supra. 

Pure, mere, very, the pure fettres, 
the very fetters, K. 421. 

Purfiled, ornamented, embroid- 
ered, P. 193. Fr. pourfiler, to 
work on the edge, to ornament 
with gold thread ; cf. profile, to 
purl. 

Purs, purse, P. 656. Lat. bursa, 
a hide ; cf. bursar, a treasurer, 
bou7-se. 

Purtray, to draw, to portray, P. 
96. Fr. portraire. 

Purveaunce, Purveauns, prov- 
idence, plan, foresight, K. 394, 
807, 2153. Lat. providentia. 

Pye, a pie, P. 384, an abbrevia- 
tion of />as<y (pastry). Ft. paste, 
pate. 

Pynche at, to find fault with, to 
be captious, P. 326. Fr. pincer ; 
cf. " to snap up one." 



Pynche (p.p. i-pynched), to plait, 
P. 151. See I-pynched. 

Pjrne, sorrow, pain, K. 466. A.S. 
pin, Ger. pein. 

Pyne, to torment, to pain, K. 888. 
A.S. pinan, Ger. ])r-inigen. 

Pynne, a pin, P. 233. A.S. pinn, 
W. pill, Gael, pinne, a pin, — the 
radical idea is that of poiyit. 

Pynoun, a flag, streamer, pennon, 
K. 120. Fr. pennon. 

Q. 

Qualme, sickness, K. 1156. A.S. 
cwealm, pestilence, death ; Ger. 

qual. 
Queer^, Quen, a queen, K. 10, 

24. A.S. civen, Goth, qens, a 

woman, — literally a mother ; 

A.S. cennan, to bring forth; cf. 

quean. 
Queynte (pr. of quench, p.p. queynt), 

quenched, K. 1453, 1476. A.S. 

cicencan. 
Queynte, quaint, odd, K. 673 ; 

strange, wonderful, K. 1475. 

Fr. coint, Lat. cognitus. 
Q,uicksilver, mercury, P. 629 ; 

lire-silver. 
Quod, quoth, said, P. 658, K. 49, 

376. A.S. cwedhan. 
Quok, Quook (pr. of quake), 

quaked, trembled, K. 718, 904. 

A.S. cwacian, Ger. quackeln ; cf. 

quaq-xmre, xca(j, wnqgle. 
Quyk, lively, quick,P. 306. A.S. 

cwic, Goth, kicius: cf. Lat. vivus. 
Quyke, alive, K. 157. 
Quyke, to revive, K. 1477. A.S. 

cjciccian. 
Quyte, to requite, pay, P. 770; set 

free, K. 174. Fr. quitter, Lat. 

quietare ; cf. quit, acquit, requite. 
Quytly, freely, quite, at hberty, 

K. 934. 

R. 

Kad (p.p. of rede), read, K. 1737. 

A.S. raedau: 
Rafter, a rafter, K. 132. A.S. 
raefter, from hraefnian, to sup- 



294 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



port, — hence the support of a 

roof. 
Rage, a raging (wind), K. 1127. 

Er. rage, Lat. rabies; Chaucer 
. also uses ragerie, wantonness. 
Rage, to play, to sport vigorously, 

P. 257. To act aimlessly as in 

play. 
Ransake, to search thoroughly, 

K. 147. Icel. ransaka, to ex- 
plore. The word did not imply 

a disorderly search. 
Rasour, a razor, K. 1559. Fr. 

rasoir, Lat. radere, to scrape. 
Rather, sooner, more willingly, 

P. 487, K. 295. A.S. hrathe, of 

one's own accord ; comp. of 

rath, soon. 
RaugMe (pr. of reche), reached, 

P. 136, K. 2057. A.S. raecan, 

pr. raehte. 
Raunceoun, RaTinsoun, a ran- 
som, K. 166, 318, 347. Fr. ran- 

gon, Lat. redemptio. 
Real, Rial, Ryal, royal, regal, K. 

160, 639. Fr. real, Lat. regalis; 

cf. Hind, rajah, a prince. 
ReaUy, Ryally, RyaUyohe, roy- 
ally, regally, P. 378, K. 829. "* 
Rebel, a rebel, rebellious, P. 833, 

K. 2188. Lat. re-hellum. 
Rebellyng, rebellion, K. 1601. 
Recche, Rekke (pr. roghte, roughte, 

to care for, to reck, to heed, K. 

540, 1387. A.S. reccan ; cf 

reckless. 
Reccheles, reckless, P. 179. A.S. 

recceleas. 
Reconforte, to recomfort, to com- 
fort, K. 1994. Lat. fortis. 
Reeorde, to remember, remind, 

P. 829. Lat. recoi'dari. 
Red, an adviser, counsel, P. 665. 

A.S. raedan, to explain. 
Rede, Reed (e), red, P. 90, 153, 

K. 889. A.S. read, Goth, rauds, 

Ger. roth ; cf. ruddy. 
Rede, to advise, K. 2210, 2213. 

A.S. raedan. 
Rede, to read, P. 709. A.S. 

raedan, Ger. reden. 
Redoutyng, reverence, K. 1192. 

Fr. redouter, to fear. 



Redy, ready, P. 21, 352. A.S. 
raed, Ger. bereit. Allied to ridan, 
to set out. 

Reed, Rede, resource, plan, K. 
358. 

Reeve, an overseer, a steward, P. 
542, 599. A.S. gerefa, Ger. graf; 
cf. sheriff, i.e., shire-reeve. 

Refuge: (1) a place of refuge; 
(2) protection, K. 862. Lat. re- 
fug ere. 

Refreische, to refresh, K. 1764. 
See Fresshe. 

Registre, a record, a register. 
Fr. as from Lat. re-gesta. 

Reyne, a kingdom, K. 8 ; hy me- 
tonomy, a king, K. 766. Fr. regm, 
Lat. regnum. 

Reherce, to rehearse, P. 732. Fr. 
rehercer, herse = a harrow ; lit- 
erally to go over the ground 
again with a harrow ; cf. col- 
loquial use of " to rake up old 
stories." 

Rehersyng, a rehearsal, K. 792. 

Reken, Rekne, to calculate, to 
reckon, P. 401 ; to recount, 
mention, K. 1075. A.S. recan, 
to tell, Ger. rechnen. 

Rekenynge, account, P. 600. 

Reliques, relics, P. 701. Lat. 
reliquiae ; literally, things left ; 
cf. relict, a widow. 

Remedye, remedy, P. 475. Lat. 
remedium, re-mederi, to heal 
again. 

Remenaunt, a remnant, P. 724. 
Fr. remanant, Lat. remanere. 

Rendyng, tearing, K. 1976. A.S. 
rendan ; cf. rent, a tear. 

Renges, ranks, rows, K. 1736. 
Fr. renge. Probably allied to 
A.S. raecan, to reach, to stretch 
to, — the idea being that of a 
line ; cf. range of a gun. 

Renne (pr. ran, ron, pi. ronne, p.p. 
ironne (n), ronne (n), to run, K. 
903, 1777. A.S. yrnan, pr. am, 
p.p. urnen ; Ger. rennen ; cf. 
errand, rennet (vulgo, runnet). 

Rennyng, running, at a rennyng, 
on a run, P. 551. 

Renoun, renown, wide-spread 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



295 



knowledge of one, P. 316. Fr. 

renom, Lat. re-nomen. 
Rente, regular income, revenue, 

P. 256, 579. Fr. rente, from 

rendre, Lat. reddere ; of. render, 

returns from an investment. 
Rente (pr. oirende), threw down, 

K. 132. A.S. rendan. 
Repentaunee, penitence, K. 918. 

Lat. re-penitentia. 
Rspentaunt, penitent, P. 228. 
Repplicacioun, reply, rejoinder, 

K. 988. Lat. replicatio, literally 

a folding back. 
Reportour, a reporter, P. 814. 

Lat. re-portare, to bring back; 

cf. colporteur. 
Rescous, rescue, K. 1785. O.Fr. 

rescous, Lat. re-excutere, to fetch 

a thing out of pawn. 
Rose, to shake, K. 1128. A.S. 

hreosan, to shake, fall. 
Resons, sayings, opinions, P. 274. 

Fr. raison, Lat. ratio. 
Resoun, reflection, reason, K. 

908 ; reasonable, P. 847. 
Resowne, to resound, K. 420. 

Lat. resonare. 
Respite, delay, consideration, K. 

90. O.Fr. respit, Lat. respectus. 
Retenue, knights of, retainers, K. 

1644. Fr. retinue, Lat. retinere. 
Rette, to impute, P. 726. See 

Aretted. 
Reule, a rule, P. 173. A.S. regol, 

Fr. regie, Lat. regula, from regere, 

to direct. 
Reule, Rewle, to rule, P. 816, K. 

814. Lat. regere. 
Reuthe, pity, K. 1533; cf ruth- 
less. A.S. hreoivian, to be sorry 

for. 
Revel, a noisy gathering or feast, 

K. 1859. O.Fr. revel, Lat. rahu- 

lare ; cf. rabble. 
Reverence, respect, P. 141 ; in 

reverence, modestly, P. 305. Lat. 

reverentia. 
Rewe, a row, K. 2008. A.S. 

raewa, Ger. reihe. 
Rewe (n), to be sorry for, to pity, 

K. 1005, 1375. A.S. hreowian, 

Ger. reuen, Eng. rue. 



Rewfulleste, saddest, exciting 
most pity, K. 2028. 

Reyn, rain, P. 492. A.S. regen. 

Reyne, a rein, K. 46. Fr. 7-enne, 
from Lat. retinere. 

Reyne, to rain, K. 677. A.S. 
regnian, Ger. regnen. 

Reyse, to make a military expedi- 
tion, P. 54. A.S. raesan, Ger. 
reisen, O.E. race, to rush ; cf. 
mill-?ace. 

RiaUy, Riallyche, royally. See 
Really. 

Riche, rich, the rich, P. 248. A.S. 
ric, wealth, power, Ger. retch, 
Goth. 7-eiks, ruler ; cf. Lat. rex. 

Richesse, riches, K. 397. Fr. 
richesse. The noun in English 
is collective with an apparently 
plural termination. 

Riden (pr. rood, pi. riden, p.p. 
riden), to ride, P. 169, 328, 825. 
A.S. ridan, Ger. reiten, — the 
original idea being that of sway^ 
ing up and down, like the 
motion of one on horseback. 

Right, very, P. 288, even, wholly ; 
P. 804 ; exactly, just, right now, 
just now, P. 767 ; rightes, rightly, 
at alle rightes, in all respects, K. 
994. A.S. riht, Ger. recht, Lat. 
rectus. 

Rightful, just, full of right, K. 
861. 

Rime, to tell in poetry, K. 601 ; 
see note. A.S. rim. 

Rite, Ryte, a religious ceremony, 
K. 1044, 1426 ; to do rites, to per- 
form religious ceremonies. Lat. 
rite, in due form. 

Robes, clothing, P. 296. Fr. robe, 
A.S. reaf, clothing. From rob, 
reave {bereave), from the fact 
that they were originally made 
of skins of animals, which would 
easily give rise to the figure of 
robbing one animal of its dress 
to make one for another. 

Rome, to roam, K. 207 ; see note. 
Literally, to go to Rome. 

Ronne (n), pr. pi. oirenne. 

Rood (pr. oiride), rode, P. 390. 

Rocs (pr. of r^se), rose, P. 823. 



296 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Roost, a roast, P. 206. 

Roote, rote, by roote, by rote, P. 
327. Fr. route ; cf. routine. 

Rore, to roar, K. 2023. A.S. 
raran. 

Roste, to roast, P. 147, 384. O.Fr. 
rostir, Ger. rosten, to roast, from 
rest, a grate, a gridiron. 

Rote, a musical instrument, P. 
236. 

Rouke, to huddle, lie close, K. 
450. Wedgwood refers to Dan- 
ish ruge, to brood, to hatch. 

Rouncy, a hackney horse, P. 390. 

Round, full, rotund, protuberant, 
K. 1310. Fr. rond, Lat. rotundus. 

Roundel, a song in which there 
are repetitions, or a song with 
a chorus, K. 671. Fr. rondelet, 
a roundelay. 

Route, Rowte, a company, P. 
622, K. 1295. O.Fr. route, Ger. 
rotte. 

Routhe, pity, ruth, it was routke, 
it was sorrowful, K. 56. See 
Reuthe. 

Rudelyche, coarsely, rudely, P. 
734. Lat. rudis, unwrought, 
hence denoting the manners of 
an uncultivated person. 

Ruggy, rough, ragged, K. 2025. 
A.S. hracod, O.E. rogge, to tear. 

Ruschyng, rushing, K. 783. A.S. 
raesan, raes. But cf . Webster's 
Diet. 

Ryal, royal. See Real. 

Ryally, royally. See Really. 

Ryngen, to ring, K. 1742 ; an im- 
itative word ; cf. to ding. 

Rynges, rings, K. 1307. A.S. 
hring, a circle ; Ger. ring. 

Ryse (pr. roos), to rise, P. 33. 
A.S. risan, pr. ras. 

Ryt = rideth, rides, K. 116, 123. 
A.S. ridan ; 3d sing. pres. rit. 

s. 

Sacred, devoted to pious uses, 
holy, K. 1063. Lat. sacer. 

Sad, sober, staid, K. 2127. O.E. 
sad, firm, A.S. saed, satisfied, — 
hence at rest. 



Sadel, a saddle, K. 1304. A.S. 
sadel, from sitian; cf. settle, a 
seat ; A.S. setl, Ger. sattel. 
Sadly, firmly, K. 1744. A.S. 

saed. 
Sake, cause, K. 942. A.S. sacu, 

strife, suit at law ; Ger. sache. 
Salte, salt, K. 422. A.S. sealt, 

Goth, salt, Lat. sal, Gr. ('i/lf. 
Salue, to salute, K. 634. Fr. 

saluer, Lat. salutare. 
Saluyng, a salutation, K. 791. 
Sangwyn, ruddy, P. 333, K. 1310. 

Lat. sanguineus. 
Sarge, a coarse woollen stuff", 

serge, K. 1710. 
Sauce, sauce, condiments, or veg- 
etables eaten with meat, P. 129 ; 
(Morris explains as = saucer). 
Lat. salsus. 
Sauf, save, except, P. 683, K. 

1322. 
Saugh (pr. of see), saw, P. 193, 

764. A.S. seon, pr. seah. 
Save, the herb sage, salvia, K. 
1855. Lat. salvere, to be in 
good heath. 
Sawceflem, pimpled, P. 625 ; see 
note. Lat. salsum-phlegma ; cf 
salt-rheum. 
Sawe, a saying, a saw, K. 805 ; 
discourse, K. 668. A.S. sagu, 
from secgan, to say. The Icel. 
form saga may be said to be 
almost naturalized. 
Sawtrie, a psaltery, P. 296. 
Sayn (pr seide), to say, P. 284. 
Scape, escape, K. 249. See note. 
Scarsly, parsimoniously, frugally, 

P. 583. Lat. excerptus. 
Schaft, an arrow, K. 504. A.S. 
sceafi, a shaved stick, from 
scapan, to shape ; Ger. schaft. 
Schake (p.p.), shaken, P. 406. 

A.S. sceacan ; cf. to shuck. 
Schal, shall, P. 731; see note, 
must, P. 853 ; and ay schal, and 
ever must, K. 325. A.S. sceal. 
Schame : (1) disgrace, K. 697 ; (2) 
the feeling caused by disgrace ; 
(3) a similar feeling due to 
modesty. A.S. sceamu, Ger 
scham. 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



297 



Schamfastnesse, modesty, P. 840. 
Now incorrectly spelled shame- 
facedness. 

Schap, shape, form, K. 1031. A.S. 
scapan, to form, to shape; cf. 
land-scope. 

Schape (n), (p.p. schape (n), to 
plan, purpose, / wole schape me 
= I will plan for myself, i.e. I 
will adjust myself, P. 809 ; fixed, 
determined, K. 250, 534. A.S. 
scapan, Ger. schaffen. 

Schaply, fit (in shape), P. 372. 

Scharp, sharp,P. 114. A.S.scearp, 
from sceran {scearf an), to cut; 
Ger. scharf. 

Schave, (p.p.), shaven, P. 588. 
A.S. scafan, Ger. schaben, to 
shave. 

Sehe, she. A.S. seo, E.E. scho. 

Scheeld, a shield, K. 1264. A.S. 
scyld, from scyldan, to protect; 
Ger. schild. 

Scheeldes, shillings, crowns — a 
coin marked with a shield, P. 
278. Fr. d'cu, Lat. scutum. Shil- 
ling = shielding. 
'Schene, Scheene, bright, beauti- 
ful, P. 115, K. 651. A.S. seen, 
from scinan, to shine ; cf. sheen, 
Ger. schon. 

Schent (p.p. of sMenc^e), destroyed, 
K. 1896. A.S. scendan. 

Schepne (pi. of schepen), stables, 
K. 1142. A.S. scypen; Ger. 
schoppen, coach-house. 

Schiere, shears, K. 1559. A.S. 
sceran, Ger. scheren, to cut. From 
this root come shai^e, plough- 
share, shire, shore pot-sherd, shred, 
short, skirt, shirt, sharp, shroud,&c. 

Scherte, a shirt, K. 708. A.S. 
sceort, short ; i.e., a short gar- 
ment. 

Schet (p.p.), shut, K. 1739. A.S. 
scittan, to lock. 

Schire, a county, P. 15, 356, 584. 
A.S. sceran, to divide; cf. shire- 
town, sheriff =^ shire-vee\e. 

Scliirreve, a sheriff, reeve of the 
shire or county, P. 359. A.S. 
gerefa, Ger. graf, A.S. reaf, a 
tax-gatherer. 



Schode, the temple, K. 1149. 

A.S. sceadan, to divide ; literally 

= the dividing (of the hair) ; cf. 

shed, shed-roof, vfaXer-sked. 

Scholde, should. 

Schon (pr. of schine), shone, P. 

198. A.S. scinan, pr. scan. 
Schoo, a shoe, P. 253. A.S. sceo, 

Goth, skohs, Ger. schuh. 
Schort, short, P. 93, 549, wanting, 
deficient, P. 746. From A.S. 
sceran, to shear, sceort, short. 
Schorte, to shorten, P. 791. A.S. 

scortian. 
Schortly, Schorteliche, in a little 
time, P. 30 ; briefly, P. 715 ; in 
brief, K. 627. A.S. scortlice. 
Schot, a javelin, a missile weapon, 
K. 1686. A.S. scot, a dart, 
sceotan, to shoot. 
Schowres, pi. of schower, P. 1. 
A.S. sceor, a storm, Goth, skwa 
loindis, a storm of wind. 
Schrive (p.p. ischrive), to shrive, 
to hear confession, P. 226. A.S. 
scrifan. 
Schul (n), (pi.), shall, K. 889. 
A.S. Ic sceal, we sculon, p. sceo/de. 
Schiilde, should, ought to, P. 249, 

745 ; cf. Ger. schuldig. 
Schulder (pi. schuldres), a shoul- 
der, P. 678. A.S.sculder. Prob- 
ably from scy/f^, a shield, alluding 
to the shape of the shoulder- 
blades. Wedgwood suggests 
that its probable origin is shovel. 
Schuldered, shouldred, P. 549. 
Sehyne, a shin, leg, P. 386, K. 

421. A.S. scyna. 
Sehyne, to shine, K. 118. A.S. 

scinan; cf. sheen, Ger. schon. 
Schyveren, to break in pieces, 
to shiver, K. 1747. Ger. schief- 
ern; cf. A.S. scyjlan, also to 
quiver, shives (of flax). 
Science, learning, knowledge, P. 

316. Lat. scientia. 
Socle,- a school, a particular style, 
P. 125 (Gr. axoli], leisure) ; (1) 
time given to intellectual pur- 
suits ; (2) a place where leisure 
is thus employed; (3) a style 
peculiar to those thus engaged 



298 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



together, (4) a particular style 

in general. 
Scoler, a scholar, P. 260. In 

A.S. scolere. 
Scoleye, to attend school, P. 302. 

O.Fr. escoloier. 
Scriptures, writings, K. 1186. 

Lat. scripturae. Now restricted 

to sacred writings. 
Seche, Seeke, to seek, P. 17, 784 ; 

for to seche, to be sought. A.S. 

seccin. 
Seed, seed, P. 596. A.S. sued, 

from sawan, to sow. 
Seek (e), sick, P. 18. A.S. seoc, 

Goth, sinks, Ger. siech. 
Seeknesse, sickness, K. 398. 
Scene (pr. seigh, seyh), to see, K. 

56, P. 580, K. 97. A.S. seon, 

seah. 
Seet (pi. seeten), sat, K. 1217, 

2035. A.S. sittan pr. saet. 
Sege, a siege, K. 79. Fr. siege, 

Lat. sedes, a sitting or seat ; in 

war opposed to storm. 
Seide (pr. of seye), said, should 

say, P. 183. 
Seigh (pr. of seene), saw, P. 850. 
Seistow, sayest thou, K. 267. 
Seknesse, sickness, K. 453. A.S. 

seocnysse. 
Selde," seldom, K. 681. A.S. 

seld {an), Ger. selten. 
SeUe, house, hall, P. 172. Fr. 

salle. 
SeUe, to give, P. 278. A.S. syllan, 

to give ; the original idea seems 

to be that of delivery. 
SeUers, givers, P. 248. 
Salve, same, that selve = that same, 

that very, K. 1726 ; properly 

dat. and ace. of self. A.S. seolf 

Ger. selb. 
Seme (v. impers.), to seem, P. 39. 

A.S. seman, to seem, to approve. 
Semely, becomingly, pleasantly, 

fitly, P. 123 ; proper, suitable, 

P. 751. A.S. seman, Goth. sa7n- 

jan, to please. 
Sen (a), seen (e) (pr. seigh, seyh), 

to see, for to sene = to be seen, 

P. 134, K. 415, 449. 
Sendal, a thin, rich silk, P. 440. 



Sentence, meaning, P. 798 ; high 
sentence = of great pith or mean- 
ing, P. 306; decision, K. 1674. 
Lat. sententia ; cf . sententious. 

Sergeant of Lawe, a lawyer of 
the highest rank, P. 309.' 

Sermonyng, persuading, preach- 
ing, K. 2233. Lat. senno. 

Servage, bondage, serfdom, K. 
1088. Lat. servire. 

Serve, to supply, wait upon, P. 
749. Lat. servire. 

Servysable, willing to perform 
service, P. 99. 

Serye, a series, K. 2209. Lat. 
series, a row. 

Sesoun, season, P. 19. Fr. saison, 
Lat. satio. 

Sessioun, session, P. 355. Lat. 
sessio. 

Seten (p.p. of sitte), sat, K. 594. 

Sethe (p.p. sodden), to boil, P. 383. 
A.S. sect! tan; cf. suds. 

Sette, to place, P. 507, 748 ; sette 
a souper, prepare (set out) a sup- 
per, P. 815. A.S. settan (causa- 
tive of sittan), pr. sette, p.p. 
geset. 

Seurte, agreement, security, to 
defye the seurte = to deny the 
agreement, K. 746. An abbre- 
viation of security. 

Sey (e), Seyn (pr. seyde), to say, 
P. 181, 468. A.S. secgaii.. 

Seyh (pr. of sene), saw, K. 97. 

Seyl, a sail, P. 695. A.S. segel. 

Seynt, a girdle, P. 329. Lat. 
cinctus. 

Seynt (e), holy, a saint, P. 173, 
697; seyntecharite'=^ sacred chsiT- , 
ity, K. 863. Fr. sa/?;?, Lat. sanc- 
tus. 

Shef, a sheaf, a handful, P. 104. 
A.S. sceaf, Ger. schauh. 

ShorteUche, briefly, K. 627. 

Shrighte, shrieked, K. 1959. 

Side, side, P. 112. A.S. sid, broad, 
vast, long ; Ger. seite. 

Siege, investment, siege, P. 56. 
Fr. siege (Lat. sedere), a seat: 
hence the capture of a fortifica- 
tion by investment, instead of 
by assault. 



GLOSSABIAL INDEX. 



299 



Sigh, a sigh, K. 259. A.S. sican, 

to sigh, to sike, to act Hke a sick 

person. 
Sight, foresight, providence, K. 

814. 
Signe, a sign, P. 226. Fr. signe, 

Lat. signum ; cf . signal. 
Sik (e), sick, P. 245. A.S. sic, 

seoc ; cf . sican, to sigh 
Sike, a sigh. 
Sike, to sigh, K. 682. A.S. sican ; 

cf. sick. 
Siker, sure, certain, K. 2191. 

Ger. sicker ; cf. Lat. securus. 
Sikerly, surely, certainly, P. 137. 
Siknesse, disease ; in O.E. gener- 
ally denoting epidemics, as the 

Plague, P. 493. A.S. seocnysse. 
Singe (pr. song, p.p. songe, sunge), 

to sing, P. 711, K. 1*97. A.S. 

singan, pr. sang, p.p. sungen. 
Sire, sir (a title of respect), P. 

355. Lat. senior. 
Sistren (pi. of sister), sisters, K. 

161 ; cf. brethren. 
Sith (e), time, times, o/te sithes, 

ofte sithe = often times, P. 455, 

K. 1019. A.S. sith. 
Sith, Siththen, since, afterwards, 

K. 72, 434; siththen that = since, 

K. 1244. A.S. sith, time, sith 

than (posiea), afterwards; Ger. 

seit. 
Sitte (pres. 3d sing, sit, pr. sat, 

p.p. seten), to sit, K. 741, 594. 

A.S. sittan {he sit), pr. saet, p.p. 

seten. 
Sittjrag, staying, P. 633. 
Skalled, having the scall, or scah, 

P. 627 ; cf. sca/c?-head. A.S. 

scyl, a scale, sci/lan, to separate. 
Skathe, loss, misfortune, P. 446. 

A.S. sceathan, Ger. schaden. 
Sklendre, slender, P. 587. From 

a root signifying to dangle. 
Skyn, skin, K. 1284. A.S. scin. 

Probably from scinan, to appear, 

to shine. 
Slake, slow, slack, K. 2043. A.S. 

slaec, from slaio, slow. 
Slee (n), Slen (pr. slough slowh, 

p.p. slayn), to slay, P. 63, 661, 

K. 122, 260, 1608. A.S. slean 



(slagan), pr. sloh, p.p. slagen; 

Ger. schlagen; cf. slaughter, sledge, 

sleet. 
Sleep, Slep (pr. of slepen), slept, 

P. 98, 397, K. 616. 
Sleere, a slayer, K. 1147. A.S. 

slaga. 
Sleeve, Sieve, a sleeve, P. 93. 

A.S. slef, slefan, to put on. 
Sleighly, prudently, K. 586 ; see 

note. O.N. slaegr, cunning. 
Sleighte, cunning, contrivance, 

craft,- P. 604. 
Slepen (pr. sleep, slep), to sleep, 

P. 10, 98, 397, K. 616. A.S. 

slaepan, pr. slep, p.p. slaepen ; 

Ger. schlafen. 
Slepy, sleep-inducing, K. 529. 
Shder, slippery, K. 406. A.S. 

slidh, shppery, slidan, to slide ; 

cf. sled, sleigh. 
Sloggardye, sluggishness, K. 184 ; 

allied to slack — lag, with inten- 
sive s. 
Slough, Slowh. See Slee. 
Smerte {])v. smerte), (v. impers.), 

to pain, grieve, P. 230, 534, K. 

536. A.S. smeortan, to smart, 

Ger. schmerz. 
Smerte, smartly, i.e. so as to cause 

pain, P. 149. 
Smite, Smyte (pr. sing, smot, 

smoot, pi. sniiten, imp.^ pi. 

smiteth), to smite, P. 149, 782. 

A.S. smitan ; pr. ic smat, we 

siyiiton. 
Smothe, smooth, smoothly, P. 

676. A.S. smethe ; cf. Ger. 

Schmieden, to hammer; also 

smith. 
Smyler, a hypocrite, K. 1141. 

See note ; cf. Ger. schmeicheln. 
Smyling, smiles, P. 119. Danish 

sjnile. 
Smyteth. See Smite. 
Smyth, one who forges with a 

hammer, a smith, K. 1167. 

A.S. smith. 
Snare, a snare, a net, K. 632. 

A.S. sneare, Ger. schnur, a string ; 

cf. a snare drum, — a drum with 

a string across the head. 
Snewede, abounded, P. 345. 



300 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Snybbe, to rebuke, to snub, P. 

523 ; an intensive form of nip ; 

cf. snip, snub-nose. 
Soberly, sad, soberlike, P. 289. 

Pr. sobre, Lat. sobrie. 
Socour, assistance, K. 60. Fr. 

secours, Lat. succurrere. 
Sodeyn, sudden. Fr. soudain, A.S. 

soden. 
Sodeynly, Sodynliche, suddenly, 

violently, K. 260, 717. A.S. 

sodenlice. 
Solas, solace, pleasure, P. 798. 

Fr. solas, Lat. solatium. 
Solempne, festive, P. 209 ; im- 
portant, P. 364. Lat. solemnis. 
Solempnely, pompously, with 

affected dignity, P. 274. 
Solempnity, a feast, K. 12. 
Som (pi. some), one, some, P. 640; 

som . . . som = one . . . another, 

K. 397, 399. A.S. sum, som, 

some, one, some one. 
Somdel (e), somewhat, P. 174, 

446, K. 1312. A.S. dael, a part ; 

cf. dole, good deal, to deal. 
Somer, summer, P. 394. A.S. 

sumer, Ger. sommer, allied to sun . 
Sometime, a while, P. 65 ; some 

= a, one. 
Sompnour, a summoner, a sort of 

sheriff for the ecclesiastical 

court, P. 543. Lat. sub monere. 
Sondry, sundry, sondnj londes, 

lands widely separated, P. 14. 

A.S. syndrig, sundor = separate ; 

Ger. sondern. 
Sone, a son, P. 79. A.S. sunu, — 

from root su, to beget. 
Sone, soon, K. 562. A.S. sona, 

Goth. suns. 
Song (e). See Singe. 
Sonne, the sun, P. 7, K. 5. A.S. 

sunne, Goth, sunno, Ger. sonne. 
Soot (e), sweet, K. 2002. A.S. 

swot, siuet, Lat. suavis. 
Sop, a small bit, sop in wyn, bread 

dipped in wine, P. 334. A.S. 

sitpan, Goth, supon, to soak, to 

dip bread in sauce. 
Soper, that which is sopped or 

supped, dessert, delicacies, P. 

348. A.S. supan; cf. sip, soup. 



Sore, grief, K. 1375. A.S. sar) 

cf. sorry. 
Sore, Soor, severe, K. 897 ; sore, 

sad, K. 1837. 
Sore, (adv.), sorely, severely, P. 

230, K. 257. A.S. sare, Ger. sehr. 
Sort, lot, destiny, P. 844. Lat. 

sors. 
Sorw3, sorrow, K. 93, 361. A.S. 

sorh, Ger. sorge. 
Sorwe, to grieve, to sorrow, K. 

1966. A.S. sorqian. 
Sorrowful, full of grief, K. 212. 
Sory, sorrowful, K. 1146. A.S. 

sarig. 
Soth, truth, true, P. 845 ; for sothe, 

in truth, P. 283 ; soth to sayn, to 

tell the truth ; ful soth is seijd, 

full true is it said, K. 767. A.S. 

soth, truth, true ; cf. soothsayer, 

for-sooth, in-sooth. 
Sothely, truly, P. 117. A.S. 

sothlice, 
Sotil, Sotyl, skilfully arranged, 

subtle, K. 196 ; skilful, K. 1191. 

Lat. subtilis. 
Soule. See Sowle. 
Soun, a sound, P. 674. Lat. somis. 
Souper, a supper, P. 748. A.S. 

supan, Fr. souper. 
Souple, pHant, flexible, P. 203. 

Fr. souple, Lat. supplex. 
Sowe, a sow, P. 552. A.S. sug, 

Lat. SMS, Ger. vg, and Eng. swine, 

are allied. 
Sowle, Soule, the soul, P. 781, K. 

1005. A.S. sawel, Goth, saiwala, 

Ger. seele. 
Sowne, to sound, P. 565 ; sownynge, 

sounding, boasting, P. 275 ; har- 
monizing with, P. 307. Fr. son- 

ner, Lat. sonarc. 
Spak (pr. of speken), spake, P. 124. 
Spare, to refrain from, P. 192, 

737. A.S. sparian. 
Sparre, a bar, the timbers of a 

building, K. 132. A.S. spartan, 

to bolt. 
Sparthe, a battle-axe, K. 1662. 
Speche, speech, more speche, fur- 
ther words, P. 783. A.S. sjoaec. 
Special, in special, especially, P. 

444. 



GLOSSARTAL INDEX. 



301 



Speede (pr. spedde), to speed, to 

wish success to, P. 769 ; to 

hasten, K. 359. A.S. spedan. 
Speken (pr. spak), to speak, P. 

142. A.S. specan, sprecan. 
Spends (pr. spente, p.p. spent), to 

expend, P. 300, 645, 806. A.S. 

spendan; cf. Lat. expendere, to 

weigh out. 
Spare, a spear, K. 117. A.S. 

spere. 
Spiced, drugged, and so changed 

in its nature, P. 526. See 

note. 
Spicerie, spices, K. 2077. 
Spices, species, kinds, K. 2155. 

Fr. epices, Lat. species. 
Spirites, spirits, animal spirits, 

K. 511. See note. 
Spores, spurs, P. 473. A.S. 

spur a ; cf . spurn, spear. 
Sprad (p.p.)> spread, K. 2045. 

A.S. spraedan. 
Springen, Sprynge (p.p. spronge), 

to spring up (of the day), to 

dawn, P. 822, K. 579, 1315, 

1351. A.S. sprengan, to burst 

forth ; cf . day-break. 
Squar, square, size, K. 218 ; see 

note. Fr. esquarre, Lat. quadra, 

from quatuor, four. 
Squyer, an attendant who bore 

the knight's shield, P. 79 ; squyer 

of the chambre, " Knight of the 

Royal Bedchamber," K. 582. 

Fr. €cuyer, a squire [ecu, a shield) : 

(1) an armor-bearer; (2) one 

having the right to carry arms ; 

(3) any person of distinction. 
Stable, a stable, a standing-place, 

P. 28. Lat. stabulum, from stare, 

to stand; cf. A.S. steal, a room. 
Stabled, established, K. 2137. 

O.Fr. establir. 
Stalke, a stalk, K. 178. Danish, 

stilk, a handle ; alUed to stock, 

stick. 
Stalke, to walk slowly, stealthily, 

K. 621. A.S. staelcan, to walk 

with feet lifted high. 
Starf. See Sterve. 
Statue, statue, K. 117. ¥r. statue, 

Lat. statua, stare. 



Statute, a law enacted by a legis- 
lative body, as distinguished 
from the unwritten law, P. 327. 
Fr. statut, Lat. statuere. 

Staves (pi. of staff), bludgeons, 
staffs, K. 1652. A.S. sta^. 

Stede, place, in stede, in place, in- 
stead, P. 231. A.S. stede; cf. 
bed-steac?, steady, stead-ia,st. 

Steede, a horse, a steed, K. 1637. 
A.S. steda, a horse ; cf. stud. 

Steep, bright, P. 201. Semi- 
Saxon, steap ; so " stepe stones, 
" stepe starres." 

Steer, a steer, a yearling bullock, 
K. 1291. A.S. steor; cf. Lat. 
taurus. 

Stele (pr. sfal, p.p. stole, stolen), to 
steal, P. 562. A.S. stelan, Ger. 
stehlen, Goth, stilan. 

Stemede, shone, P. 202. O.E. 
steem, a flame. 

Stenten (pr. stente, p.p. stent), to 
stop, to check, K. 45, 510. A.S. 
stintan, to be blunt ; cf . stunt, 
stint, stent. 

Sterne, strong, K. 1296. A.S. 
Sterne. 

Sterre, a star, P. 268. A.S. 
steorra, a star, steorran, to steer, 
i.e. by the stars ; cf. star-board = 
steer-side ; cf. also A.S. streowan, 
to strew. Sansc. stri, to scatter, 
Gr. uGTTip, Lat. stella (sterula). 

Stert, a bound, at a stert (at a 
bound), quickly, K. 847. 

Sterte (pr. sterte, p.p. stert), to 
start, leap, K. 94, 186, 222, 644. 
Dutch, storten, Ger. stiirzen ; cf. 
stai-tle. 

Sterve (pr. starf, p.p. istorve, stor- 
ven), to die, K. 75, 286. A.S. 
steorfan, Ger. sterben, Eng. starve: 
(1) to die by hunger; (2) to die 
by any means. 

Steven, voice, K. 1704 ; at unset 
stevene, without previous ap- 
pointment. A.S. stefn, a voice, 
an agreement. 

Stewe, a fish-pond, P. 350. From 
Dutch Stan, a dam. 

Stif, strong, firm, P. 673. A.S. 
stif, A.S. steif. 



302 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



StiUe, quietly, still, K. 145. A.S. 

stille. 
Stith, an anvil, K. 1168. A.S. 

stith, a post, (adj.) firm; from 

standan, to stand ; cf. stithy. 
Stiward, a steward, P. 579. A.S. 

stiward = stowe-weard, the keeper 

of a mansion or place : hence, 

overseer in general ; cf. stoio, a 

place. 
Stok, stock, family, K. 693. A.S. 

stoc, a trunk. 
Stoke = steke, to stick, stab, K. 

1688. A.S. stician, to stab. 
Stomble, to stumble, to walk as 

on stumps, K. 1755. 
Stones, gems, precious stones, P. 

699. 
Stonge (n) (pp.), stung, stabbed, 

K. 221. A.S. stimjan, stick, to 

stab, is allied. 
Stoon, a stone, P. 774. A.S. start, 

Ger. stein, Goth, stains. 
Stoor, store, property, P. 598. 

O.Fr. estor. 
Stories, histories, K. 1297. An 

abbr. of history. 
Stot, a stalHon, P. 615. A.S. 

stotte, stod, a horse. 
Stounde, a moment, an hour, K. 

354. A.S. stund, Ger. stunde. 
Stoute, Stowte, strong, P. 545; 

bold, K. 1276 ; cf. stout-hearted. 

A.S. stolt, Ger. stolz. 
Strangle, strangling, K. 1600. 

Lat. strangulare. 
Straughte (pr. of strecche)', 

stretched, K. 2058; cf dis- 
traught. 
Straunge, foreign, P. 13. O.Fr. 

estrange, Lat. extraneus. 
Stre (e), straw, K. 2060. A.S. 

stre, splints, streow, straw, streow- 

ian, to scatter : hence, that 

which is spread; cf. Lat. ster- 
ner e. 
Strecche (pr. str aughte), to ^iTQ\jch. 

A.S. streccan, pr. strehte. 
Stream, a stream, current, P. 402; 

beams of light, K. 637. A.S. 

stream, Ger. strom. 
Streepe, to strip, K. 148. A.S. 

strypan, Ger. streifen. 



Streyt, strict, narrow, P. 174; 
direct, K. 832. Lat. strictus. 

Streyt (e), closely, P. 457 ; imme- 
diately, straighi-wgiy, P. 671, K. 
792. 

Strif, Stryf, strife, contest, K. 
976, 1580. O.Fr. estrif, Ger. 
streben. 

Strike {of flax), a handful that 
may be hackled at once, a hank, 
P. 676. From the verb to 
strike. 

Strof (pr. of stryve), vied with, K. 
180. 

Strond, a strand, a beach, P. 18. 
A.S. strand, border, edge. 

Strong, sinewy, strong, mighty, 
K. 566, 1515. A.S. Strang; 
cf. string. 

Strook, a stroke, K. 843. From 
strike. 

Stryve (pr. strof), to strive, to vie 
with, to dispute, K. 180, 319. 
O.Fr. estriver, Ger. streben. 

Stubbess stubs, stumps, trees 
broken off at some distance from 
the ground, K. 1120. A.S. styb ; 
cf. stubble, stump. 

Stynte (pr. stynte), to stop, cease, 
K. 476, 1490. See Stente. 

Subtilly, craftily, P. 610. Lat. 
subtilis — fine-spun. 

Suffisaunce, a sufficiency, that 
which suffices, P. 490. 

Suffisaunt, sufficient, K. 773. Fr. 
suffisant, Lat. sufficiens. 

Sunge. See Singe. 

Surcote, an overcoat, P. 617. Fr. 
sur = over. 

Surgerye, the surgical art, P. 413 ; 
for surgeonry ; surgeon is con- 
tracted from chirurgeon. Gr. 
X£ipovpyia, literally, handicraft. 

Sustene, to sustain, K. 1135. 
Lat. sustinere. 

Suster, sister. A.S. sweostor, Goth. 
swistar, Ger. schwester, Sansc. 
swasri. 

Sute, a suit (cloth), K. 2015. Fr. 
suite, suivre, to follow ; hence 
denoting things belonging to- 
gether, " a suit of clothes," " a 
suit of rooms." 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



303 



Swan, a swan, P. 206. Ger. 
schivan ; cf. A.S. swinsian, to 
sing. 

Swelte (pr. swelte), to sigh like a 
person fainting, to faint, K. 498. 
A.S. sweltan, to die ; cf. swelter. 

Swerd, a sword, P. 112. A.S. 
sweord, Ger. schwert. 

Swere (pr. swor, swoor, p.p. i- 
swore (n), to swear, affirm, P. 
454, 810 ; see note, K. 963. 
A.S. swerian, to swear; cf. an- 
swer = and-swear, to speak in 
return; A.S. swarian, to an- 
swer. 

Swete, sweet, P. 5, 265. A.S. 
swete, O.S. swoti, Goth, sutis (for 
swotis), Lat. suavis, Ger. suss. 

Swich, such, so great, P. 3, K. 4. 
A.S. swilc (swa-lic). 

Swote, Swoote, sweet. See 
Swete. 

Swough, a storm, the noise made 
by a storm in the trees, — the 
soughing (sighing) of the wind, 
K. 1121. A.S. sweg, a sound. 

Swoune, to swoon, K. 55. A.S. 
swunan. 

Swymbel, a moaning, K. 1121 ; 
dim. of O.E. swim, sighing. A.S. 
swima, giddiness ; cf. a " swim- 
ming in the head." 

Swyn (s. & pi.), swine, P. 598. 
A.S. swin, Ger. schwein, Goth. 
swein. Allied to sow. 

Swynk, labor, toil, P. 188. A.S. 
swine. 

Swynke, to labor, toil, P. 186. 
A.S. swincan, allied to swing; 
cf . " a swingeing blow." 

Swynkere, a laborer, P. 531. 

Syde, side, upon that other syde, on 
the other hand, K. 417. 

Syke, a sigh, K. 1062. 

Syke, to sigh, K. 2127. A.S. 
sycan, to sigh, sike. 

Syinple, artless, guileless, P. 119. 
Lat. simplex. 

Syn, since, P. 601, 853; an abbr. 
oi sithens,sithen. A.S. sith-than ; 
cf. sith. 

Syth, since, K. 72, afterwards. 
A.S. sith. 



T. 

Tabard, a sleeveless coat em- 
broidered with the arms of the 
wearer, originally worn by 
noblemen, — subsequently worn 
by heralds ; hence any similar 
coat, a farmer's blouse, P. 
541. 

Table, a table, P. 100. Fr. table, 
Lat. tabula. The A.S. for table 
is bord. 

Taffata, taffeta, a fine silk stuff, 
P. 440. 

Taille, tally, took by taille, bought 
on credit, P. 570. Fr. tailler, to 
cut, — alluding to the method 
of keeping accounts by notches 
cut in a stick ; cf. retail, detail, 
tailor. 

Take (pr. tok, took, p.p. take (n), 
imp. s. tak, pi. taketh), to take ; 
to take our weye, to journey, P. 
34, 789, K. 1789. A.S.tacan; 
allied to Lat. tangere, to touch ; 
hence : (1) to receive any thing 
in the hand; (2) to take hold 
of; (3) to begin any thing. 

Takel, an arrow, tackle, P. 106 ; 
an outfit, — what one takes, 
what is necessary. A.S. tacan, 
to attach. 

Tale, a discourse, story, K. 30, 
719. A.S. taelan, to blame, tel- 
lan, to speak, tael, a story, a 
slander ; cf. to/e-bearer, toM-tale. 

Talen, to tell tales, P. 772. A.S. 
taelan. 

TaUege = to allege, K. 2142. 
Lat. allegare. 

Tame, tame, subdued, K. 1320. 
A.S. tam, Ger. zahm ; cf. temian, 
to tame, to yoke ; Lat. domare, 
Gr. dafiav, to tame. 

Tapieer, a maker of tapestry, P. 
362. Fr. tapis. 

Tappestere, a tapster, P. 241 ; 
tap is allied to stop. A.S. tap- 
pestre. 

Tare, the vetch, — used to denote 
any small amount, K. 712. 

Targe, a small shield, P. 471. Fr. 
targe, dim. target. 



304 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Tarie, to tarry, K. 1962. O.Fr. 
larger ; cf . Lat. tardus. 

Tart, sharp, pungent, P. 381. 
A.S. ieart, from tearan, to tear. 
Tart, the noun, is from Fr. 
tarte, Lat. tortus. 

Taryinge, delay, P. 821 ; cf. tardt/. 

Tas, Taas, a heap, K. 147, 151, 
162. Fr. tas. 

Tathenes = to Athens, K. 165. 

Tavern, an inn, P. 240. Fr. ta- 
verne, Lat. iaberna, a hut made 
of boards ; hence a boarding 
place ; as board = table. 

Teche, to teach, P. 308, 482. A.S. 
taecan. 

Teene, mischief, harm, K. 2248. 
A.S. teona, injury. 

Tempest, a storm, P. 406 (see 
note) ; a notable time, K. 26. 

Tendite = to endite, tell, K. 351. 

Tendre, tender, P. 6 ; soft, P. 
150. Fr. tendre, Lat. tener, soft. 

Tente, a tent, K. 163. Fr. tente, 
Lat. tendere, to stretch. 

Teres, tears, K. 422. A.S. tear, 
taeher, Goth, tagr, Gr. ddnpv, 
Lat. lacryma, W. deigr. 

Termes, sessions of the court, P. 
323 ; terms, technical terms, P. 
639; limit, end, K. 171. Fr. 
terme, Lat. terminus, a limit; 
hence: (1) an end; (2) a logical 
term, — the ends of a proposi- 
tion; (3) that which is ended, 
e.g. a term of years. 

Testers, head-pieces, helmets, K. 
1641. O.Fr. teste, the head. 

Text, a text, the subject of dis- 
course, P. 177. Fr. texte, Lat. 
textus. 

Thabsence = the absence, K. 
381. 

Thank, thanks, P. 612 ; his thonkes, 
of his own accord, willingly, 
eagerly, K. 768, 1249; here 
thankes, of their own accord, 
eagerly, K. 1256. A.S. thane, 
thencan, to remember. 

Than (ne), then, P. 12. 

Tharmes = the arms, the branches, 
K. 2058. 

Tharray = the array, P. 716. 



That, who, P. 310; to that de- 

gree, so that, K. 581, 1568. 
Thavys = the advice, the agree- 
ment, the sanction, K. 2218. 
The, thee, K. 225, 335 (adv. = 

eo), the more = more by this, P. 

802. See note. 
Theatre, an amphitheatre, K. 

1027. From the Gr. to view. 
Theef, a thief, K. 467. A.S. theof, 

Goth, thiubs, Ger. dieb. 
Thefifect = the effect, the result, 

K. 331 ; the conclusion, K. 629. 
Thei, they, P. 745. See note. 
Thencens = the incense, K. 1419. 

Fr. encens, Lat. incendere, to 

bum. 
Thenchauntementz = the en- 
chantments, K. 1086. 
Thencres = the increase, P. 275. 
Thentre = the entrance, K. 1125. 

Fr. entr€e. 
Ther (indefinite pron.), there, P. 

43, 79 ; where, P. 34, 547 ; on 

this occasion, P. 259 ; then, K. 

321 ; ther as = whither, to that 

(place) which, P. 34 ; where, 

in that (place) which, P. 172, 

249, K. 126 ; ther as, there 

where, K. 2000. 
Ther fore ( = for this), for this 

reason, therefore, P. 189, 444. 

A.S- for-tham. 
Therto (^to this), besides, also, 

in addition, P. 153, 325, 536; 

eek therto, and also, P. 757, K. 

566 ; to it, K. 1251. 
Therupon (:=upon this), at this 

time, P. 819. 
Therwith (= with this), then, 

upon that, K. 441 ; cf. thereupon. 
Therwithal (= wholly with this), 

therewith, with this, P. 566 ; 

at that very time, K. 220. 
Thes, these, K. 673. 
Thestat = the estate, P. 719. 
Thider, thither, K. 834. A.S. 

fhider, from the. 
Thikke, close together, K. 217. 

A.S. thic, Ger. dick. 
Thilke, that, tlie hke, P. 182, K. 

335. A.S. thill ic, thi/lc ; literally 

like this, or that. 



GLOSSABIAL INDEX. 



305 



Thing (s. and pi.), a portion, to 
make a thing, to write a poem, 
P. 325 ; litel thing, a small por- 
tion, P. 490 ; incidents, things, 
P. 736. A.S. thincg. "The 
primitive meaning seems to be 
discourse, then solemn discus- 
sion, judicial consideration, 
council, court of justice, law- 
suit, cause, sake, matter, or 
subject of discpurse." Wedg- 
wood. Allied to thencan, to call 
to mind. 

TMnke, Thynke, pr. thoughte (v. 
impers.), to seem, me thinketh, 
it seems to me, P. 37 ; it thoughte 
me, it seemed to me, P. 385 ; him 
thoughte, it seemed to him, P. 
682 ; us thoughte, it seemed to us, 
P.' 785. A.S. thincan. 

Thinke (v. pers.), to remember, 
to think, K. 748. A.S. thencan. 

Thinne, thin, small in quantity, 
P. 679. A.S. thyn, thenian, al- 
lied to Lat. tenders, to stretch. 

Thirle, to pierce, K. 1852. A.S. 
thirUan, to pierce, drill, from 
thurh, through ; cf. thrill, trill, 
drill, nos-tril. 

Thise, these, P. 701. A.S. thaes. 

The (pi.), the, those, P. 498, K. 
265 ; them, K. 1493. A.S. tha. 

The, then, K. 135. A.S. tha. 

Thoffice = the office, the sacred 
duty, K. 2005. Lat. officium. 

Thonke. See Thank. 
IThorisoun = the orisoun, prayer, 
^ K. 1403. O.Fr. orison, Lat. 
> oratio, from orare, to pray. 
c'Though, although, though that, 
although it be that, P. 68. A.S. 
theah, the demonst., uh (Lat. 
ce, que) ; cf. quanquam. 

Thought, anxiety, care, melan- 
choly, K. 1374. A.S. thoht. 

Thousand, a thousand, K. 811. 
A.S. thusend, Goth, thusundja, 
taihun, ten, sund (hund), one 
hundred. 

Thral, a slave, a serf, K. 694. 
A.S. thrall, Gael, traill. 

Thredbare, bare to the thread, 
threadbare, P. 290. A.S. thraed. 



Thread, thread, K. 1172. A.S. 
thraed from thrawan, to twist ; 
Ger. drehen, alluding to the 
original method of spinning. 

Thraissha, to thresh, P. 536. A.S 
the-rscan, to beat, Ger. dreschen. 

Thrasta, to thrust, to force one's 
way, K. 1754; cf. A.S. thrist, 
bold, Goth, trudan, to tread. 

Thridda, third, K. 605, 1413. 
A.S. thridda, from thri. 

Thriftily, carefully, in the man- 
ner of a thriving man, P. 105. 
From thrive, thrifi. 

Throng, a crowd, throng, K. 
1754. A.S. thring, thringan, to 
crowd, Ger. dringen. 

Thurgh, through, K. 62, 362. 
A.S. thurh, Ger. durch ; cf. 
thorough, thoroughfare. See 
Thirle. 

Thurghfare, a thoroughfare, a 
journey, K. 1989. A.S. thurh- 
fare. 

Thurgh-girt, to pierce through, 
K. 152. See Girt. 

Thurghout, quite through, 
throughout, K. 238. 

Thus, in this manner, P. 761. 
Formed from the demonst. as 
how from the interrogative. 
A.S. (inst. case), thys. 

Thysalven, thyself, K. 316, Lit- 
erally a dative = by thyself. 

Til, to, K. 620. O.N. til, to ; cf. 
until. 

To (verbal prefix); has an inten- 
sive force, Ger. za. 

To, at, P. 30 : for, K. 1853. 

To-braste (p.p. to-brosten), to burst 
asunder, to break to pieces, K. 
1753, 1833, 1899. A.S. to-berstan. 

Togidra, together, togidre alle, all- 
together, P. 824. A.S. to-gaedre. 
From gather. 

To-hawen, to hew to pieces, K. 
1751. A.S. to-heawan. 

Tollen, to toll, to take toll, P. 
562. A.S. toll, Ger. zoll, a tax ; 
cf talian, to compute. Wedg- 
wood refers to Lat. telonium. 

To-morwa == the morrow, P. 780. 
See note. 



20 



3o6 



GLOSS ABIAL INDEX. 



Tonge, the tongue, P. 712. A.S. 

tunge, Goth, tuggo, Ger. zunge, 

Lat. lingua [dingua). 
Tonne-greet, as large as a tun, K. 

1136. Fr. tonne, a barrel, Lat. 

Una, a wine vessel. 
Too, a toe, K. 1868. A.S. ta {tan 

= a twig, sprout), — as though 

the toes were sprouts growing 

from the feet. 
Took (pr. of take), conjectured, 

understood, K. 140. A.S. tac- 

nian ; cf . token. 
Top, foretop, P. 590. 
Toret, a turret, K. 1051. Fr. 

tourette, dim. of tour, Lat. turris. 
Torettz, rings, a ring affixed to 

the collar of a dog, whereby he 

might be fastened, K. 1294. 
Tormente, to torment, to torture, 

K. 456. O.Fr.to?'wen<er, See note. 
Tome, to turn, K. 162. Fr. tour- 

ner. 
To-schrede, to shred to pieces, 

torn to shreds, K. 1751. A.S. 

to-sceadan ; cf. A.S. sceran, to 

cut. 
Toun, a town, P. 217 ; see note. 

A.S. tun, an enclosure, tynan, to 

enclose ; from tan, rods, the 

means by which enclosure is 

effected ; cf. yard. 
Tour, a tower, K. 172, A.S. torr, 

Fr. tour, Lat. turris. 
Trace, a track, P. 176. Fr. trace, 

Lat. tractus ; cf. trail. 
Trapped, decked, K. 1299. Fr. 

drap, cloth ; cf. draped. 
Trappures, trappings, K. 1641 ; 

cf. drapery. 
Traunce, a trance, K. 714. Fr. 

transe, Lat. transitus : (1) death ; 

(2) a state resembling death, 

syncope. 
Travaile, labor, toil, K. 1548 ; see 

note. Fr. travail. 
Trays, traces, K. 1281. O.Fr. 

trace, Lat. trahere, to draw. 
Trede, to tread, K. 2164. A.S. 

tredan, Ger. treten. 
Tresoun, treachery, a violation 

of allegiance, K. 1143. Fr. tra- 

htson, Lat. traditio. 



Trespace, trespass, K. 960. Fr. 

trespasser . 
Tresse, a tress, K. 191. Fr. tresse. 

Literally, a braid of three 

strands. 
Trete, a treaty, K. 430. Fr. traits, 

Lat. tractatus. 
Tretys, slender, well-propor- 
tioned, P. 152. 
Trewe, trusty, P. 531. A.S. 

treowa, trust, Goth, triggws, true. 
Trewely, truly, simply, P. 481. 
Trompe, a trumpet, P. 674, K. 

1316. Fr. trompe, O.H.G. trumba, 

a drum ; cf . trombone. 
Tronchoun, a staff, a spear hau' 

die, K. 1751. Lat. truncus. 
Trone, a throne, K. 1671. Fr. 

trone, Lat. thronus. 
Trouthe, truth, P. 46, 763 ; troth, 

agreement, K. 752. A.S. treowlh, 

that in which one may trust : 

A.S. treowian, to trust. 
Trowe, to believe, P. 155, 524, K 

662. A.S. treowian, to trust. 
Trussed up, tied up, P. 681. 

O.Fr. torser, Fr. trousser, Lat. 

torquere, to twist. 
Tukked, clothed, P. 621. A.S. 

tucian, to clothe, O.E. tuck, Ger. 

tuch, cloth. 
Tunge, a tongue, P. 265. See 

Tonge. 
Tuo, two, P. 639. A.S. twa, Ger. 

zwei, Lat. duo. 
Turneynge, a tournament, K. 

1699 ; part, of tome. 
Twenty, twenty, P. 24. AS. 

twentig ; twen = twain ; tig, Lat. 

dec-em, Gr. (5f/ca, ten. Ten, O.S. 

tehan, Goth, taihun =Jj?ii. de- 
cern. 
Tweye, two, twain, P. 704, 792, 

K.-40, 270, 836. A.S. twegen, 

twa ; cf . twin, to twin (separate), 

twine, twist, twig, tway-hlade, twi- 
light, twelve, tiventy. 
Twine (p.p. twine), to twine, to 

spin, twined, K. 1172. A.S. 

twinan (from twa), to spin ; cf. 

twist (a cord). 
Twynne, to separate, depart, P. 

835. From two. 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



307 



Tyme, the proper time, K. 974. 

A.S. tima, time ; getimian, to 

happen. 
Typet, a hood, cowl (used as a 

pocket), tippet, P. 233 ; dim. of 

tape, a band. 
Tythes, tenths, tithes, P. 486. 

A.S. teotha, from tyn, ten. 

u. 

Unces, small portions, P. 677 ; 
literally ounces, Lat. uncia, a 
twelfth part of a lb. ^ an ounce ; 
of a foot = an inch. 

Uncouth, Uncow^th, rare, un- 
known, K. 1689. A.S. uncuth, 
from cunnan, to know. 

tJndergrowe, undergrown, P. 
156. 

Understonde, to understand, to 
venture, P. 746. A.S. under- 
standan, Ger. unterstehen. 

Undertake, to affirm, P. 288 ; lit- 
erally to take upon one's self; 
cf. undertaking . 

Unknowe (p.p.), unknown, P. 
126, K. 548. 

Unkonnyng, ignorant, inex- 
perienced, K. 1535 ; cunning = 
knowing. A.S. cunnan, to know. 

Unset, not previously agreed 
upon, K. 666. 

Unto, till, until, K. 286. Goth. 
unte. 

Untressed, unfastened, unbraided, 
K. 1431. See Tresse. 

Untrewe, untruly, P. 735. 

Unwist, unknown, K. 2119. A.S. 
witan. 

Unyolden (p.p.), unyielded, un- 
conquered, K. 1784. A.S. gyl- 
dan, to pay. 

Up, upon, K. 849. 

Up-haf (pr. of up-heve), raised up, 
K. 1570. A.S. hebban. 

Upright, lying upon the back, K. 
1150. A.S. iip-areht, erect. 

Upriste, uprising, K. 193. 

Up-so-doun, upsidedown, K. 519. 
So is the old relative swa, cor- 
rupted into side by a false ety- 
mology. 



Upstarts, started up, arose, K. 

441 ; cf. noun, upstaii. 
Up-yaf (pr. of up-give), gave up, 

sent up, K. 1569. 
Usage, experience, K. 1590. Lat. 

usus. 
utterly, wholly, K. 296, 705. A.S. 

iifor, comp. of tit. From tiie 

idea of remoteness or extremity 

readily passing to tlie idea of 

completion. 

V. 

Vassalage, service as a vassal, 
valor, K. 2196 ; from W. gwas, 
a youth, arose tlie Mid. Lat. 
vassus, a retainer, a vass<d. 

Vavasour, one next in dignity to 
a baron, P. 360. Allied to vas- 
sal, valet. 

Veil, a vail, P. 695; strictly tlie 
sail of a ship. Lat. velum {vehu- 
lum), from vehere, to carry. 

Vanerya, hunting, the chase, P. 
166, K. 1450. Lat. venari ; cf. 
z;en?so?z = game taken in hunt- 
ing ; so tised in Gen. xxvii. 3. 

Ventusyng, cupping, K. 1889. 
Lat. ventus, the blood being ex- 
tracted by atmospheric press- 
ure. 

Vanym, venom, poison, K. 1893. 
Lat. venenum, poison. 

Verdite, decision, verdict, P. 787. 
Lat. vere-dictnm. 

Vernicle, a handkercliief having 
upon it a picture of Christ, P. 
685. See note. 

VerraUy, truly, P. 338. Fr. vrai, 
Lat. vere. 

Verray, true, very, P. 72. Fr. 
vrai, Lat. veruvi. \ 

Vertu, ability, power, K. 578, 
1391, 1891. Fr. vertu, Lat. vir- 
tus, from vir, a man. 

Vertuous, active, energetic, P. 
251 ; upright, virtuous, P. 615. 
Lat. vir. 

Vese, a storm, a rush of wind, K. 
1127. 

Vestimentz, garments, vestments, 
K. 2090. Goth, wasti, Lat. vesti$. 



3o8 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Veyn, vain, K. 236. Fr. vain, 

Lat. vanus, empty. 
Veyne, a vein, P. 3 ; veyne blood, 

blood of the veins, bleeding, K. 

1889. Lat. vena. 
Viage, a voyage, a journey by 

sea or land, P. 77, 723. Lat. 

viaticum, passage money, Fr. 

voyage. 
Victoria, victory, K. 1381. Fr. 

victoire, Lat. vincere, to conquer. 
Vigiles, vigils, a religious service 

held in the evening, P. 377 ; see 

note. Literally, watchings. 
Vileinye, Vilonye, ungentleman- 

ly conduct, P. 70 ; see note ; 

low breeding, P. 726 ; depraved 

discourse, P. 740 ; to do vileinye, 

to cause disgrace, K. 84. 
Visage, countenance, that which 

is seen, P. 628. Lat. visus ; cf. 

Ger. gesicht. 
Visits, to go to see, to visit, P. 

493, K. 336. Lat. videre, to see. 
VitaiUe, victuals, P. 248, 569, 

749. Lat. victualis, from vivere, 

to live. 
Vouchesauf, to grant, vouchsafe, 

P. 807, 812. To vouch or guar- 
antee safety. Lat. vocare salvum. 
Voyde, to expel, evacuate, throw 

out, K. 1893. 

w. 

"Waar. See War. 

"Wages, wages, promised reward, 
K. 945. A.S. wed, a pledge, 
Lat. vas, Mid. Lat. vadium, Fr. 
gage, gages, money paid to a 
person as a pledge for his ser- 
vices. 

"Waillyng, mourning, bewailing, 
K. 508. Icel. valla, to lament. 

"Wake-pleyes, funeral games, 
games played while watching 
the dead, K. 2102 ; wake = 
watch. A.S. wacian. 

Wal, a wall, K. 132. A.S. weall, 
Lat. vallum. 

Walet, a wallet, a knapsack, P. 
681 ; cf. Fr. mallette, dim. of 
malle, bag. 



Walk, walking, K. 211. See 
note. 

Wan (pr. of wynne), won, earned, 
P. 442 ; conquered, K. 131. 

Wan, pale, K. 1598. A.S. wari, 
from ivanian, to wane, — the 
appearance of one in waning 
health. 

Wandryng, wandering, wanton- 
ness ; cf . Cant. T. 6237 ; suffer- 
ing (?), P. 467. See note. 

Wane, to wane, to decrease, K. 
1220. A.S. wanian, to diminish. 

Wanhope, despair, K. 391. Hope 
that has waned. 

Wantoun, free, unrestrained, P. 
208. A.S. wan = un, itowen = 
educated, from teon, to train. 

Wantounesse, wantonness, af- 
fected nicety that seeks to be 
different from others, P. 264. 

Wantyng, missing, lack, K. 1807. 
A.S. wana, deficiency. 

War, Waar, aware, P. 157 ; wary, 
cautious, P. 309 ; / was waar, I 
was aware, I perceived, P. 157 ; 
he was war, K.. 38. A.S. war; 
cf Ger. ivahren, to perceive. 

Ward, a suffix denoting situation, 
direction, P. 793 ; see note. 
A.S. weard, iceardes ; cf . Lat. 
vertere, to turn. 

Ware, to warn, to beware, P. 
662. A.S. warian. 

Waste, wasted, ruined, K. 473. 
A.S. weste, Lat. vastus. 

Wastel-breed, fine white bread, 
P. 147. A.S. wist, victual, O.Fr. 
gasteau, a cake. 

Waw^es, waves, K. 1100. A.S. 
waeg, wagian, to wave, wag. 

Wayke, weak, K. 29. A.S. wac, 
from wican, to give way, Ger. 
weichen. 

Waylle, to wail, K. 73 ; to cry, 
wa-la, wo ! 

Waymentyng, wailing, lamen- 
tation, K. 137, 1063. O.Fr. 
waimenter, to lament, cry, woe! 

Wayte, to watch for, look for, P. 
525, K. 364; to attend to, P. 
571. A.S. waeccan, Ger. wachten. 

Webbe, a weaver, P. 362. A.S. 



GLOSSAEIAL INDEX. 



309 



webha, a weaver, wefan, Ger. 

weben, to weave ; cf. wife. 
Wedde, a pledge, K. 360. A.S. 

wed, hence wedding, wedlock, 
Wedden, to wed, to marry, K. 

10, 974, 2240. A.S. weddian, to 

covenant, to promise. 
Wede, clothing, K. 148 ; see note. 

A.S. waed. 
Weal, well, K. 68, 1265. A.S. 

wael, wel. 
"Wei, full, very, K. 653 ; wel better, 

much better, K. 396 ; wel neyh, 

very nearly, K. 472. A.S. wel, 

Ger. wohl. 
Welaway, alas! K. 80. A.S. 

wa-la-wa, wo-oh-wo, sometimes 

spelled well-a-day. 
■Welcome, a salutatory interjec- 
tion, P. 762, 854. A.S. wilcume, 

wilcumian, to greet. 
"Wele, weal, wealth, K. 37. A.S. 

wela, from well, Ger. wohl. 
"Welle, a spring, a source, K. 

1425. A.S. weall, from weallan, 

to boil, spring up. 
"Wende (n) (pr. wente), to go, to 

wend (one's way), P. 16, 21, K. 

1356, 1412. A.S. wendan, Ger. 

wenden. 
Wene (pr. wende)^ to ween, to 

vainly hope, K. 411 ; to sup- 
pose, think, K. 797. A.S. 

wenan, to hope, to think, Goth. 

wengan, Ger. wahnen. 
"Wenged, winged, K. 527. 
"Wepe (n), (pr. weep, wep, p.p. 

wepen), to weep, to weep aloud, 

P. 144, 230, K. 1487. A.S. 

wepan, Goth, wopjan, to call, to 

cry, A.S. wop, outcry; cf. whoop, 

wa.r-whoop, whooping-cough. 
Wepen (pi. wepne), a weapon, K. 

733, 743. A.S. waepen. 
"Were, to protect, K. 1692. A.S. 

werian, to defend ; cf . to wear. 
"Were (pr. werede), to wear, P. 

75, 564. A.S. werian. 
Werken, "Wirche, to work, to 

act, P. 779, K. 1901, A.S. 

wifrcan, Ger. werken. 
"Wern = weren, pi. of were, P. 

591. 



"Werre, war, P. 47, K. 429. Fr. 

guerre, A.S. waer, Du. werre. 
"Werreye, to make war upon, K. 

626, 686. O.Fr. werrier, from 

werre, guerr'e, war. 
"Werse, worse, K. 366. A.S. rvyrs, 

comp. of weor, bad. 
"Werte, a wart, P. 555. A.S. weai-t, 

Ger. loarze. 
"Wessch (pr. of ivassche), washed, 

K. 1425. A.S. wascan, pr. wosc. 
"Wette (pr. ivette), to wet, wetted, 

P. 129. A.S. waet. 
"Wex, wax, P. 675. A.S. iveax. 
"Wexe (pr. wexe), to increase, to 

grow, K. 504. A.S. weaxan, 

pr. weox, Ger. wachsen, Goth. 

wahsjan. 
"Wexyng, increasing, growing, K 

1220. 
Weye, a way, P. 34, 467, 771. 

A.S. weg, Goth, wigs, Lat. via. 
"Weye, to consider, to weigh, K. 

923. A.S. wegan, to move, to 

weigh ; figuratively, denoting 

mental action. Cf. ponder, de- 
liberate. 
"Weyle, to wail, K. 363. To cry, 

wa-la. 
"Weyinentynge, lamentation, K 

44. See Waymentynge. 
"Whan (ne), when, P. 5; whan 

that = when (it is that), P. 1, 

801. 
"What, why, P. 184 ; well then ! 

P. 854 ; in what respect, K. 171. 

Lat. quid; what . . . what, partly 

. . . partly, K. 595. Lat. quid . . 

quid. 
"Wheel, "Whel, a wheel, K. 67, 

1165. A.S. Az^;eo/, alhedtoGoth. 

walwjan ; Lat. volvere, Eng. wal- 

loiv. 
Whelkes, pimples, sweUings, P. 

632. A.S. hwylca, a swollen 

vein ; cf . wale, weal, wheal. 
"Wher, where, K. 1952. A.S. 

hwaer. 
Wher, whether, K. 990, 1394. 
"Where, in wliat place, where as, 

where, there where, K. 255; 

where that, where (it is that), 

K. 39. 



3IO 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Wherfore, for which, K. 710. 

Wherwith, with what, P. 302. 
Whether, ivhether that, whether 
(it is that), P. 570. 

Whether, which of two, K. 998, 
a comp, form of which. 

"Which, what, what sort of, P. 
40 ; which that, who, P. 796, K. 
1206 ; which, K. 138 ; which a, 
what sort of a, K. 1817. A.S. 
hwi/lic hwi/lc = Uke what. 

Whii (es), whilst, P. 35, 397. 
A.S. hwil, time; cf. awhile. 

Whilom, formerly, once, P. 795, 
K. 1, 1545. A.S. hioilum, dat. 
pi. of hwil; cf. seld-om. 

Whit, Whyte, white, P. 238, K. 
195. A.S. hwit, Goth, hweits, 
Ger, weiss, Sansc. Qvita. 

Whoso, whosoever, P. 731. A.S. 
swa-hwa-swa. Swa (so) is apro- 
nomi; cf. such, swilc; Goth. 
swa-leiks ; cf. Lat. quisquis. 

Widewe, a widow, P. 253, K. 
313. A.S. widuwe, Lat. vidua, 
Sansc. vi-dhava = without-hus- 
band. 

Wif, a woman, wife, P. 445. 
A.S. wif, from wefan, to weave : 
cf. wif-man, woman, waepman, 
weapon-man. The word origi- 
nally denoted sex rather than 
marriage. Cf. good-wife, house- 
wife. 

Wight, a creature, a man, P. 71, 
326. A.S. wiht, Ger. wicht; cf. 
whit, aught. 

Wight, weight, K. 1287, 1662. 
A.S. wiht, from wegan, to weigh. 

Wikke, bad; physically weak, 
morally wicked, K. 229. A.S. 
wican, to be weak, swican, to 
deceive ; cf. wiccian, to bewitch. 

Wikkedly, craftily (using the arts 
of the wizard), K. 877. See 
note. A.S. wiccian, to enchant ; 
cf. witch. 

WHne, to desire, wish, K. 751, 
1256. A.S. wilnian. 

Wntow, wilt thou, K. 686. 

Wilwe, a willow-tree, K. 2064. 

Wind, a breeze, wind, P. 170. 
Root wa, to blow. 



Wirche (pr. wroughte, p.p. wroght)^ 

to work, P. 497, K. 154, 1901. 

A.S. wyrcan, pr. worhte ; of. Gr. 

epyov, work. 
Wis = iwis, certainly, K. 1928. 

A.S. gewis. 
Wisdom, Wysdom, Wisdam, 

learning, P. 575, A.S. wisdom. 
Wise, Wyse, manner, mode, K. 

480, 1386. A.S. wise, Ger. weise; 

cf. guise. 
Wisly, certainly, surely, truly, 

K. 1005, 1376. A.S. wislice, 

Ger. gewisslich. 
Wiste. See Wite. 
Wit, judgment, understanding, 

P. 279, 573, 746. A.S. wit, 

mind. 
Wite (I, he wot, thou wost, we 

witen, pr. wiste), to know, P. 

224, 280, 389, K 298, 305, 936, 

976. A.S. witan; pr. wiste; cf. 

witty. 
With, with, at the same time 

with, P. 856 ; by, P. 406, 705; in 

composition usually = against. 
Withalle, besides (with all the 

rest), P. 127 ; in spite of all, P. 

283. 
Withholds (p.p.), maintained, 

held with, P. 511. 
Withouten, without, P. 538, 783, 

K. 347; besides, P. 461. A.S. 

withutan. 
Withsayn, Withseie, to gainsaj'^, 

to speak in opposition to, P. 

805, K. 282. A.S. luith-saeggen. 
Wityng, knowledge, weeting. K. 

753. A.S. witan, to know. 
Wive, Wyve, dat. of wife. K. 

1002. 
Wodly, fiercely, madly, K. 443. 

A.S. wad, violent, mad ; cf. 

wadan, to go with force ; Woden, 

Wednesday. 
Woful (comp. wofuUere), full of 

woe, unfortunate, K. 205, 521, 

1198, 482. 
Wol (e) (2 pres. wolt, pi. woln, 

wolle, pr. wolde, pi. wolden), will, 

P. 27, 723 ; wish, P. 803, 805, 

K. 31, 766, 1263 ; wolde him 

schake (subj.), might (did) 



GLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



311 



shake him, K. 615. A.S. wil- 
lan, ic, he, wille, thu wilt ; pi. 
willath ; pr. s. wolde, pi. woldon. 

Wommanhede, womanhood, wo- 
manly feeUng, K. 890. 

■Wonder, wonderful, K. 1215; 
wonderfully, P. 483, K. 796. A.S. 
wundor, wundrum, Ger. wunder. 

"Wonderly, wondrously, P. 84. 
A.S. itmndorlice. 

Wone, custom, P. 335, K. 182. 
A.S. wane, wunian, Ger. wohnen, 
to dwell. 

"Wone (pres. p. wonynq), to dwell, 
P. 388, K. 2069. A.S. wunian. 

Wonyng, a dwelhng, P. 606. 
A.S. wunung, Ger. wohnung. 

Woo, wailing, lamentation, K. 
42 ; an exclamation of sorrow, 
P. 351. A.S. wa, Lat. vae. 

Wood, "Wode, mad, furious, P. 
184, 582, K. 471. A.S. wod, 
Scot. wild. 

Woode, a forest, K. 664. A.S. 
wudu. 

Woodebynde, woodbine, K. 650. 
A.S. wudubind. 

■Woodecraft, hunting, P. 110. 

"Woodnesse, madness, insane 
rage, K. 1153. A.S. wodnes. 

"Wook (pr. of wake), awoke, K. 
535. A.S. wacan, pr. woe. 

Woot, Wot. See Wite. 

Worschipe, honor, K. 1046. A.S. 
weorthscipe. 

"Worschipe, to honor, to pay re- 
gard to the worth of one, K. 1393. 

"Worschipful, honorable, K. 577. 

"Worstede, a woollen cloth, P. 
262. So named from Worstead, 
the town where it was first 
manufactured. 

Worth, equal in worth to, P. 
182; worth while, P. 785. A.S. 
weoTthe. 

"Worthinesse, bravery, P. 50. 

"Worthy, "Worthi, of worth, de- 
serving of honor, noble, P. 43, 
217 ; brave, P. 68 ; able, P. 579. 

"Wost. See "Wite. 

"Wrastle, to wrestle, K. 2103. 
A.S. im-aesdian, from wraestan, 
to writhe, to wrest. 



"Wrastlynge, wrestling, P. 548. 
"Wrecche, a wretch, K. 73 ; 

wretched, K. 248. A.S. wraecca. 
"Wrecchede, wretched, K. 63. 

A.S. wraec. 
"Wreke, to avenge, to weak, K. 

103. A.S. wrecan. 
"Wrethe, a wreath, K. 1287. A.S. 

ivrath, what is twisted. 
"Wrighte, a mechanic, P. 614. 

A.S. ivyrhta, from wyrcan, to 

work ; now used only in com- 
pounds ; e.g. wheel-wright. 
"Writ, a writing, Holy Writ, the 

scriptures, P. 739. A.S. tvrit. 
Wroth, angry, K. 321. A.S. 

lorath, from writhan, to twist. 
"Wroughte,"Wroght. SeeWirche. 
Wyd (e), spacious, broad, P. 28; 

large, P. 491, K. 897. A.S. wid, 

Ger. weit; cf. xwid. 
Wyke, a week, K. 681 ; fyfiy 

wykes = a year, K. 992. A. S. 

wice, Ger. ivoche. 
"Wymmen, women, P. 213. A.S. 

wifraen, icefen, to weave ; cf . 

Ger. weib, from weben. 
Wymple, a covering for the neck, 

chin and face, laid in folds, 

worn by nuns, P. 151. Ger. 

wimpel ; cf. gimp. 
"Wymple, to cover with a wim- 
ple, P. 470. 
"Wyn, wine, P. 334. A.S. win, 

Ger. wein, Lat. vinum, Or. 

olvog. 
"Windowe, a window, K. 1130, 

i.e. wind-door. O.Norse, vind- 

auga, wind-eye ; the A.S. was 

eagduru, eye-door. 
Wynne (pr. wan), to gain, win, P. 

427, 442 ; to gain advantage of 

one, P. 594. A.S. winnan, to 

toil, get by labor. 
"Wynnynge, gains, winnings, P. 

275. 
^^yppyltre, the cornel-tree, K. 

2065. 
"Wys, affable, well-mannered, P. 

68; (cf. guise, manners), wise, 

skilled, P". 309, 569. A.S. wis. 
"Wyse. See "Wise. 
"Wyve. See "Wive. 



312 



OLOSSARIAL INDEX. 



Y. 

Yaf (pr. of give), gave, P. 177. 
Yate, a gate, K. 557. A.S. gat. 
Ybete (p.p. of beat), beaten, 

forged, newe ybete, newly forged, 

K. 1304. A.S. beatan. 
Ybrent (p.p. ofbrenne), burnt, K. 

88. A.S. brennan; cf. brand, brown. 
Ybrought, (p.p.), brought, K. 253. 
Yburied, buried, K. 88. A.S. 

byrigan ; of. Ger. bergen, A.S. 

beorgan, to hide, Eng. burrow. 
Ycleped, Yclept (p.p. clepen), 

called, P. 376, 410. A.S. ge- 

clipod. 
Ycome, come, P. 77. 
Ycorve (p.p. of kerve), cut, K. 

1155. A.S. ceor fan. 
Ydel, idle, K. 1647. A.S. idel, 

vain, Ger. eitel. 
Ydoon-of, doffed, K. 1818. 
Ydrawe, drawn, P. 396, K. 86. 
Ydropped, bedropped, bedewed, 

K. 2026. 
Ydryve (n) (p.p. oidryve), driven, 

K. 1149. 
Ye, the eye, K. 1149. 
Ye, yea, K. 809. See note. 
Yeddynges, romances, poetic 

tales, P. 237. A.S. giddian, to 

sing. 
Yeeldyng, the yield, return, P. 

596. A.S. gyldan, to pay. 
Yeer, Yer (s. & pi.), a year, 

years, P. 82, 601. A.S. gear. 
Yeldehalle, a guild-hall, the room 

where a corporation or guild 

usually met, P. 370. J^.ax^.gilda, 

a feast ; cf. company. 
Yelpe, to boast, K. 1380 ; see 

note. A.S. gelpan, Eng. yelp. 
Yelwe, yellow, P. 675. " A.S. 

geoluwe, Ger. gelb ; cf. gold. 
Yeman, a yeoman, P. 101. See 

note. 
Yerde, a rod, P. 149 ; see note ; 

a yard long, K. 192. A.S. gyrd. 
Yeve (n), Yive (p.p. yeve, yeven), 

to give, P. 223, 487, K. 57. A.S. 

qifan. 
Yfound, found, K. 353. Ger. 

gejunden. 



Ygrounde, sharpened, ground, 

K. 1691. 
Yholde (p.p. of hold), considered, 

K. 1516 ; held, K. 2100. 
Yif, if, K. 412. A.S. gif, Goth. 

yabai, ibai. Sometimes errone- 
ously referred to gifan, to give. 
Yifte, a gift, K. 1340. A.S. gift. 
Yit, yet, in addition, besides, P. 

70 ; hitherto, K. 1056 ; yit now, 

just now, K. 298. A.S. get. 
Ylik, Yliche, aUke, P. 592, K. 

1876. A.S. gelic. 
Ymages, images, P. 418. Lat. 

imago (mimago), imitari {mimi- 

tari), to imitate. 
Ymaginacioun, conception, K. 

236; see note. Lat. imaginatio. 
Ymaginyng, conceiving, plotting, 

K. 1137. 
Ymaked, made, K. 1997. A.S. 

gemacod. 
Ymet, met, K. 1766. 
Ymeynd (p.p. of menge), mingled, 

K. 1312. A.S. mengian, Ger. 

mengen, to mix ; cf . mingle. 
Ynned, lodged, entertained, K. 

1334. A.S. innian. 
Yolden (p.p. of yeelde), yielded, 

K. 2194. A.S. 'gyldan. 
YoUe, to yell, to cry aloud, K. 

1814. A.S. gyllan, giellan, to 

yell ; cf. galan, to sing. 
Yollyng, yelling, loud crying, K. 

420 ; vulgo, yowling. 
Yond, there, yonder, K. 241. 

A.S. geond, Ger. jen-er ; cf. be- 
yond. 
Yong (e), young, P. 7, 79, 213. 

A.S. geong, Ger. jung, Lat. ju- 

venis. 
Yore, a long time, ful yore agon, a 

very long lime ago, K. 955. 

A.S. gear a, allied to gear, a 

year. 
Youre (gen. pi.), of you, P. 783. 

A.S. eower. 
Yourself (pL), yourselves, K. 977. 
Youthe, youth, P. 613. For 

youngth, which form is used by 

Spenser. 
You (dat. and ace), you, P. 34, 

38. A.S. eoiv. 



GLOSSABIAL INDEX. 



313 



Ypayed, paid, K. 944. 

Yraft, bereft, plundered, K. 1157 ; 

see note. A.S. reajian. 
Yre, anger, ire, K. 1444. Lat. ira. 
Yronnen, run over, K. 1835. 

A.S. be-yrnan. 
Ysene, seen, to be seen, P. 592. 

A.S. gesawen. 
Yserved, served, K. 105. 
Yslayn, slain, K. 1850. A.S. 

geslaegen. 
Yspreynd (p.p. of sprenge), 

sprinkled over, scattered, K. 

1311. A.S. spew^ran, to sprinkle. 
Ystert, escaped, K. 734. 



Ystorve (see Starve), dead, died, 
K. 1156. A.S. steorfan, Ger. 
sterhen. 

Yteyd, tied, P. 457. A.S. ge-tead. 

Ytorned, Yturned, turned, K. 
380, 1204. Fr. tourner. 

Ywrought (pp. of wyrcAe), made, 
wrought, P. 196. 

Ywympled, decked with a wim- 
ple, P. 470. 

z. 

Zephyrus, the west wind, a 
zephyr, a gentle breeze, P. 5. 



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